I love to cycle, but I'm not sure cycling ~100 miles per day from Oxford to Le Boulou is what I'd call "a gentle spin". So why do it? There's an element of the opportunity to see part of the world I haven't seen; there's an element of the opportunity to train and undertake a physical challenge; and there's big element that is to join with Jasper and Dom (his father and one of my PhD supervisors) to raise pennies for Sarcoma UK.

Read their story below!

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In October 2023 our world was turned upside down. Jasper showed Dom a lump on his leg while we were on holiday in Cornwall. Dom was pretty sure it was not good news, and within three days Jasper had had an MRI and a biopsy. On the 30th of October we got the news we were dreading, Jasper was diagnosed with a very rare form of sarcoma, called a myxoid liposarcoma. Jasper really is one in a million: there are only around 70 cases diagnosed each year in the UK (to put it into perspective there are approximately 56,800 breast cancer diagnoses made each year in the UK).

We then had a whirlwind of appointments, scans, discussions, planning, and eventually surgery. The hospital sarcoma team were amazing, explaining all of the treatment plans (even as they evolved). It was very strange for Dom. He had to switch sides of the consulting room, from the doctor side, to the patient side. And for all his knowledge there were still gaps; things we didn’t know, didn’t understand and didn’t appreciate. And that is where the charity Sarcoma UK helped. We were given their leaflet at the very first appointment, and visited their website to find out information and get support when we needed it.

The day we found out the cancer had not spread was the best day. We all cried very happy tears. But we were so aware that on the same day other parents would not be getting the good news that we had got. We were so very thankful for our news while sparing a thought for other patients and parents.

Jasper had surgery two days later and was discharged on crutches with a drain and a big chunk of muscle missing after a night in hospital. His recovery has been nothing less than remarkable. Within 3 months he was discharged from physio, was running 5km, and hitting the gym whenever he could to build up strength in that leg. His challenge he gave himself was to be part of the 2024 cricket season, and he met this easily, playing for the 1st XI at school on their opening match of the season. He clearly decided this challenge was too easy so has agreed to cycle from Oxford to Barcelona within nine months of having one of his quads in his right thigh removed. We are so very proud of him and all that he has faced with (mostly) a smile on his face and a determination that is impressive in a young man who had his 18th birthday in the midst of his recovery.

The team at the Nuffield Orthopaedic centre have been amazing, his surgeon has been calm and kind throughout the whole process (and has even suffered Jenny hugging him in the middle of a hospital corridor). The nurses, physios, and support staff have been quite simply fantastic. Not to mention the unbelievable support he has had from his friends and family and Abingdon School. Again, supporting a friend through cancer treatment while trying to do your A levels is not the easiest, and Dom and Jenny are so grateful to his friends (and their parents) for all the support they gave him (and us) whenever he needed it. They are all such very special mates to him.

Dom has trained and worked within the sarcoma team in Oxford, and knows that many young people are not as fortunate as Jasper, and many people still die from sarcoma at a really young age. We want to support Sarcoma UK so that they can continue to be a trusted source of information for people in our situation, providing support for people in their darkest moments, and fund vital research into better treatments for sarcoma, giving everyone the chance for a good outcome like Jasper has had.

Thank-you for giving what you can.

Follow our trip on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/o2b.2024/

Or on their individual Strava pages.