Thursday 11 February 1999
57-year old Brian Smith from Fleet in Hampshire is planning to tackle the South West Coast Path, Britain's longest national trail, and raise money for the Institute's 'everyman - action against male cancer' appeal. What makes this effort notable is that only last August Brian underwent radical surgery for prostate cancer.
It was while recovering in hospital that he decided to combine a secret ambition to do a long-distance walk with an effort to raise money for research into male cancers and to increase awareness of what have been the Cinderellas of the cancer world.
He will be starting on Tuesday, April 20th from Minehead and aims to finish on Sunday 6th June at Sandbanks (Poole), a period of 48 days. To cover the distance he will have to walk an average of 14 miles a day (excluding rest days).
Already he has received donations and promises of sponsorship worth £1600. He doesn't have a specific target in mind but the more the better!
Brian says "I decided to set myself this daunting challenge partly to demonstrate that a diagnosis of prostate cancer is not the end of the world, and partly to do my little bit to hasten the time when these male cancers can be detected early, treated successfully and perhaps even prevented."
For further information please contact Jo Kelly on 0171 878 3810, ext. 5373
Please note:
Unfortunately the press office are unable to answer queries from the general public. For general cancer information please refer to The Institute's cancer information page.