My Story:

I am a [50+] year old husband and father of three. A Yorkshireman, living in Liverpool, who works in IT.

I love my family, my dog and have a passion for cycling and skiing, though not necessarily in that order. I have always considered myself fit and healthy for my age, too.

One day, in February 2023, I was driving to London for a work meeting and noticed a stiff neck. Nothing unusual, I thought. Perhaps I’d slept ‘funny’.

The ache and stiffness continued, so I tried to massage it out and that’s when I felt it…...the lump!

My Diagnosis:

Family is everything and a cancer diagnosis rocks your world and those around you.

I didn’t initially mention anything to the wife - a nurse of thirty-three years and constant worrier - so went along to see my GP and was advised to get some routine bloods and keep an eye on it for the next few weeks.

Other than an ache in my neck, I had no symptoms at all.

A week after first seeing my GP, I told the missus about the lump and she immediately flew into action.

She made some calls and, before I knew it, I was under the ENT/Head and Neck team at Aintree University Hospital.

Two ultrasounds and a biopsy later and we were given the news the lump was a metastatic cancer in my neck. The primary cancer unknown!

The shock was palpable. Frightening. How do I tell the kids this horrific news? You feel like you are living a nightmare you can’t wake from.

ENT Scopes, MRI’s, CT scans and a PET scan followed quickly, and I was listed for exploratory surgery to try and find the primary cancer.

I underwent ground-breaking robotic oral surgery, and the results showed the original source was tonsil cancer that had spread to the tonsillar bed and then neck. I underwent further surgery to remove the cancerous lump called a radical neck dissection.

At all stages of the treatment, I tried to process what was happening to me with humour. That’s the way I get through things in my everyday life, despite the pain and all the issues that follow.

Once the first stage of treatment was complete, I had recovered from surgery. I was placed under the care of the oncologist and the team at Clatterbridge Cancer Centre, Liverpool.

The Clatterbridge team consisted of oncologists, radiographers, support rads, dieticians, nurses, and speech and language team. They showed incredible care and kindness to which I am forever grateful.

I was offered a six-week intensive radiotherapy treatment that equated to daily visits for 30x sessions. I declined the chemotherapy on offer. I mean, you can get too much of a good thing eh!

Once the daily trips were finished the following two weeks were a real challenge post radiotherapy. The symptoms are no joke, but with the love and support of family and friends I got through it.

I still need regular check-ups from the ENT/ Head and Neck team and the oncology team with regular scopes and scans.

The Future is Positive:

With a cancer diagnosis, you lose control of your life. You have to pass everything over to your health care professionals, place a great deal of trust and confidence in the team that they have your best interests at the heart, and know there may be no clear end to the nightmare.

These past nine-months have been difficult to navigate but, thanks to all who cared for and supported me, I am now looking to a positive future and I wanted to do something – anything - to help repay the care and kindness given to me by the Clatterbridge Cancer Centre team in Liverpool (CCC-Liverpool).

The Fund-Raising Idea:

I have completed many charity bike rides over the years, so thought this was the most appropriate challenge to organise a fund-raising event around.

I regularly do 100 miles bike rides, so didn’t think that would be enough of a challenge, or suffering, for me to persuade you to part with your hard-earned cash and support my fund-raising.

The question was - what would ‘test’ me the most?

Then the idea came to me………..

The company I work for, The Network Collective, have also been incredibly supportive throughout and helped take the pressure off my family and I whilst I prioritised my health.

Since my company is based in London, and Liverpool is where I live and had my treatment, I thought - BINGO - why don’t I ride from Liverpool to London (230 miles).

I can do that ride over two-days, right? But is that enough suffering to part you from some cash? Perhaps not. OK. Time to go big or go home.

Liverpool to London in one-day was the ride I decided upon. How hard can it be? It’s downhill all the way 

I talked to several of my cycling and work friends and was shocked to find out they were up for it too.

The Ride:

Our plan is to ride from Liverpool to London on Sunday 23rd June 2024. We aim to leave Liverpool at 4:00am and arrive in London who knows when 

We now have a group of nine riders, plus a support van driver - a very close friend who, coincidentally, was also diagnosed with Head & Neck Cancer and went through his own gruelling journey. What are the chances? We will also be accompanied by an amazing team nurse (the missus) to ensure we all return safely in one piece and look after ourselves along the journey.

Please Give What You Can:

I am sure you may know people who have had, or been affected by cancer, and a lot of this amazing care supporting the NHS is often provided by charities.

We all understand how tough times are now, but please give what you can knowing that the riders and I will all be truly grateful for your support.

We are fund raising for Clatterbridge Cancer Charity and any donation you make will help these charities continue to provide tireless and incredible support for people just like me.

Remember not all heroes wear capes. Some of them wear Lycra!

Thanks Copley & Co

PS: For some further insight into my journey, please check out the brilliant documentary by comedian Rhod Gilbert – a pain in the neck for SU2C (Channel 4)

https://www.channel4.com/programmes/rhod-gilbert-a-pain-in-the-neck-for-su2c