When one of our closest friends, Dr Dan Frith, survived a potentially fatal melanoma diagnosis in summer 2020, he decided to raise £20k for the brilliant Melanoma Fund to help educate kids and adults about how to protect themselves against skin cancer... basic knowledge that will change and save a lot of lives. But he didn’t want to do it alone, and when your best buddy survives cancer and asks you for your help, you don’t hesitate to say yes. And then you realise that it’s Dan asking, and brace yourself for the details!

THE CHALLENGE 

‘Coniston to Coniston’ is an original one (very long) day endurance challenge taking place on 31st July 2021 in Cumbria. It will be a gruelling 12+ hour feat of strength, endurance, gritty determination… and a whole load of sweat, tears and laughter. 

• 6km swim across Coniston Water
• 45km cycle including the infamous ‘Struggle’ incline
• 11km kayak across Ullswater
• 27km fell run back to Coniston 

THE TEAM

We are fifteen childhood friends and family. We now live all over the UK and Europe, but we’ve been through a lot together over the years, and that makes for an incredible bond… we’ve laughed, cried, celebrated, mourned, made families, partied hard, and have always been there for each other when we’ve needed to be. And this is no exception! We are training hard, juggling jobs and families, and preparing for what will be an awesome day bringing us all together for the first time in years. And we are determined to raise as much money and awareness as possible to support the amazing work of Melanoma Fund. 

We can’t thank you enough for your support and generosity!

Dan: ‘I know how lucky I am. As a doctor I was able to spot a changing mole and act fast, but my story could have easily had a very different and tragic ending, and that’s really hard to swallow. I was a sun loving kid, I didn’t always bother with suncream and had horrendous sunburn as a teenager… I had no idea of the impact that it would have on me and my family 30 years later. So many of us are at high risk but don’t know what to look for, or underplay the importance of sun protection. And as a dad I want to help ensure that our children develop good habits and understanding so that their generation can avoid what me and my family have just been through. I’m really excited to be supporting the Melanoma Fund to help achieve this.”

Melanoma Fund is a small but passionate charity that raises awareness of melanoma and other forms of skin cancer via three national prevention campaigns: Watch Your Back! for gardeners and horticulturists; Slip! Slap! Swing! for golfers; and the Outdoor Kids Sun Safety Code, designed to enhance the provision of sun protection to primary aged children, by sports coaches and outdoor activity leaders.

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