In 2008, Camerton resident, Dave Cameron, was told he had only between eighteen months and three years left to live, after being diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer. Eight years on and Dave, having defied the odds, has decided it is time to give something back to the people who have helped him along the way, thanks to the support of the Oncology and Urology Departments at the RUH and new developments in the treatment of advanced prostate cancer by Cancer Research UK.

On 7th June, Dave will be setting off from the RUH on his trusty eighteen-year-old motorbike on a 3,500 mile trip around the coast of England, Scotland and Wales to raise money for the Forever Friends Cancer Care Appeal and Cancer Research UK. The journey will take him around three weeks to complete, and he aims to ride 160 miles a day.

Dave explains: “The current Forever Friends Appeal is focusing on helping to fund the new Oncology Department at the RUH. At present it is housed in the old, single storey, pre-fabricated units. Of course, the staff work brilliantly within the surroundings they have got and make it as friendly as possible for the patients. However,

the new unit will really revolutionise cancer care in the area and provide a great environment, both for patients and for the staff who support them.

“My choice of these two charities is based on one being involved in the treatment of cancer patients locally and the other developing new and more effective treatments for the future. This seems to me to be a sensible way of splitting any sponsorship I manage to raise.

“I chose to ride around the whole coast of Britain for various reasons. Firstly, it’ll be a real challenge for me, as my medication tends to produce fatigue at times. Doing it by car would be much easier – I could just take naps in the car while completing the trip – but that wouldn’t be enough of a challenge.

“I also hope to demonstrate that even after being diagnosed with cancer, in my case, advanced (metastatic) cancer, it’s still possible to live with the cancer rather than the cancer being allowed to take over your life completely.

“I’ve been really lucky. I’ve had great support from family and friends, health professionals and research, which I know isn’t the case for every patient.

“I had a motorbike years ago, but when I met my wife, we decided that I looked better with both legs attached to me, so I stopped riding for many years. However, when I was told I had perhaps eighteen months to live, we both decided that it was time I got myself another bike.

“As it happens, I’ve reached over eight years since diagnosis – and I’ve still got both legs!”

If any readers would like to support Dave on his trip they can do so via: http://uk.

virginmoneygiving.com/DaveCameron63