When I was at school, nobody had cancer, I didn’t know about it and really didn’t hear anyone mention it growing up (things were a lot different then). As I started getting older, I’d hear stories of a friends’ grandparents getting it and thinking ‘it must just be for old people’.

I also used to think that cancer was a single disease or illness that attached to skin (skin cancer), breasts (breast cancer) and testicles (testicular cancer). Mainly this view was influenced by big charity events that I had seen and in later years of peoples family members getting a form of these.

Not my family, they wouldn’t get it because we are fit and healthy…

For example, in 2014 my Dad (Aged 48) ran a 50km Ultra-Marathon across the Brecon Beacons. He was sponsored as part of a team by a running magazine to compete in the race. Coaching crossfit at the time, he was fit and seriously strong.

As I stated, not my family we’re fit and healthy…

4 months later, my Dad struggled to run a mile was constantly tired with no energy to do anything following work and rather odd in colour. Whilst this might be normal for people to be tired after work, not him, he was never tired (in my eyes).

My Mum, brother and I all urged him to go to the doctors to see what was wrong. Obviously we thought it was all a strong cold and he’d be fine after a few days of pills, he wasn’t. Reluctantly, following out nagging he decided to turn up at the doctors.

Going to the doctors is not nice for anyone, and there is a prominent issue with men for ignoring any signs of anything because ‘we’ll be alright’ or ‘man flu won’t get me’ (complete denial that any medical condition effects us). In reality, its fear that stops us from going to the doctor when something really isn’t right. Whether that is fear of looking weak or loosing face, but mainly the fear of something bad actually being wrong and the consequences of this.

So, the doctors office and my Dad has been told he is anaemic (hence the colour) and loosing blood (hence the lack of energy).

My thought was, its not a big deal put a plaster on the part your loosing blood from and that should sort the rest of it. Turns out my medical expertise is something quite lacking.

After further investigation, tests and exams my Dad was on the way home from work (driving) when a call came in from the doctor ‘you’ve got cancer’. A phone call, a bloody phone call.

He obviously then had the job of telling my Mum, then telling me and my brother. Not the sort of news you ever expect to hear and especially not over the phone.

Luckily for us, my family is very positive. We boast a positive attitude in everything we do and nothing is ever too much. This is something that helped us all through this because it just got tougher and tougher. We stuck together and helped my Dad to get through everything that faced him.

My Dad has a cancer called Sarcoma which effects soft tissue and bones. He had this originally in his intestines, because of the size of it he had to have the below removed due to it touching and affecting these areas;

80% Pancreas

50% Liver

50% Small Intestine

50% Large Intestine

Parts of Kidney and bladder

Essentially, the worst list you could possibly imagine to be getting told we’re taking out of you for someone to hear.

The operation went well and he was clear of the cancer that was draining his body. He was told by the doctors, he probably wouldn’t walk for the next 3-6 months, he would definitely not run and crossfit is certainly out of the picture.

Its a massive operation and due to the intensity, it was highly unlikely that any of the above tasks would be possible.

A very negative thought for a professional to state, to someone who is so positive. My Dads reaction was I’ll be doing handstand pressups within 6 weeks, he and the doctor laughed, both for different reasons.

The check ups came quick and often;

1 day

2 days

5 days

7 days

2 weeks

4 weeks

6 weeks

On the 6 week checkup, they were impressed with his recovery and how he was already back walking. Little did they know he had also been to the gym and started running again by this point.

He was able to show them a video of him completing a handstand pressup at this visit, they were astounded. Probably a little confused as to why he would do this but still very much impressed.

We (as a family) were beaming with pride, he proved the doctors wrong and he is beating cancer! This was clear proof that being fit and healthy (what he has been preaching for my entire life) is actually worth something!

The checkups go from weekly, to monthly, to yearly. We thought this was great because its less and less concern of cancer from the doctors but for my Dad it was now a year of worrying that it could possibly come back.

After the first and second 6 monthly checkup it was official and he was in remission, ready for a year in waiting. Positivity got us through the hardest part and now (in my eyes) he’s beat cancer and we don’t need to talk about it again.

He then gets his yearly checkup and unfortunately they tell him its back, the surgeon had missed a cell or two which have now began forming into other cancer tumours.

My Dad told myself and my brother, we were absolutely furious with how the ‘professionals’ managed to miss anything when they took half of the mans organs out of his body.

(I’m well aware of how small a cell is and the unfortunate event that they missed this but at the time, it was my Dad and they should have done the job properly)

The positive attitude continues, he starts on chemo tablets that manage the cancer and ensure that it stays dormant which was brilliant!

2020 and Dad has set himself up a challenge to raise money for Sarcoma UK (the charity related to the cancer he had). ‘365 Days of Action’ with the aim to raise as much money as possible by completing a half marathon everyday for a whole year. Absolutely mental I thought.

He started building traction and has an instagram account that he is able to document his training and also tell his story. This has lead to him receiving messages from people he has never met that are inspired by his positive attitude and how he has dealt with fitness and pushing himself through these struggles. The power of social media is strong!

2023 and the cancer rears its head for the third time and the tablets have stopped working, he has been moved onto stronger tablets which have stopped him training for weeks at a time but still he keeps going strong.

We are running the London marathon together this year alongside my girlfriend, best friend and my Dads friend. This is following what may be a stupid idea built from myself after watching last years London Marathon.

We are aiming to raise £10,000.00 for Sarcoma UK and the link is below and on my social media pages.

He is my hero, the strongest person I know mentally and physically with the way he has dealt with this, inspired others and raised money for the charity Sarcoma UK.

If you can spare any money to donate to this great cause and help them research deeper into Sarcoma Cancer, it would certainly be a great help because there are many people out there that do not have as positive mindset or families. These people highly rely on the support services held by the charity and your donation would help to keep these running.

My Dad has conjured up a saying from the very start of this which has become his mantra…

‘Keep Pushing, Don’t Ever Give Up’

Josh White