Rob Edwards has seen cancer claim the lives of his dad and sister – and after a lucky escape of his own, he is motorbiking around the country as a thank-you to those who saved him.
Rob, 52, a married father-of-three from Whitchurch, was diagnosed with non Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a cancer of the lymphatic system, in 2005. Following surgery and intensive chemotherapy at The Christie in Manchester, he was told he was in remission in 2007.
He will spend the Christmas and New Year period riding 4,000 miles around the coast of Britain in a 10-day charity challenge. His journey will start from the Great Orme in Llandudno on December 23.
Rob is riding anti-clockwise, spending Christmas Day in Norfolk and New Year’s Eve in Scotland, finishing back in Llandudno on January 2.
Rob, who is now registered disabled, lost his father to lung cancer in 1992 and his sister to breast cancer in 2001. Both were treated at The Christie.
Rob has already got letters of support from Prince Harry, World Superbike racer Carl Fogarty and Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who mentions his recent visit to The Christie and the “important and life-changing work” done at the specialist cancer centre, in his good luck message to Rob.
The marine engineer said: “I am prepared to give up this time of year for this most worthy cause because I lost my father and sister to cancer, and now as a cancer survivor myself I wanted to do something to say thank you to The Christie for saving my life.
“Finding out I had cancer hit me like a sledgehammer but I now feel physically able to do the trip, which has always been an ambition of mine.
“I decided to do it over the festive season as it is even more of a challenge in winter and it’s also my birthday on New Year’s Eve.”
Rob, who says his family are fully supporting his trip, added: “I have not booked any accommodation yet, but I have a tent – and I am also on the lookout for a free Christmas dinner on December 25.”
Toni Kennedy, community fundraising officer at the Christie charity, said: “I have the upmost admiration for Rob who has chosen to forego this special time of year to raise money for our charity and we cannot thank him enough.
“It is a fantastic challenge and I want to say a huge good luck to Rob – and Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and Happy Birthday too.”
To sponsor Rob visit www.justgiving.com/roundthecoastforcancer
By James Pugh