Appleby man Craig Sowerby, who suffers from a rare form of blood cancer, has raised more than £9,000 for charity by cycling 1,000 miles from John O’Groats to Land’s End.
47-year-old Craig was diagnosed with a rare blood cancer called myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN), which increases the number of blood cells produced in the body. Although it is not curable, his cancer can be managed, and he has been responding well to his treatment.
Earlier this month, almost a year after his diagnosis, Craig endured dreadful weather and knee pain to complete the gruelling ride in nine days.
Craig said: “We started in bright sunshine on day one, but by the afternoon we had torrential rain and we had to battle the weather most days. But the knee pain was the main issue. It was an old football injury. It started on the third day and got worse, but I couldn’t give up.”
Keen cyclist Craig undertook his lengthy ride in aid of MPN Voice, the charity which supports blood cancer patients and funds research. With support from his wife Linsey and son Oli who followed him by car — and lots of painkillers — he was able to complete the journey, although saddle sores added to his knee pain.
He said: “Towards the end, I was cycling out of the saddle for a while, then when my knee got too sore, I would sit back down. I was determined to complete the ride, as I’d had so much support and so many people had donated. There was no way I couldn’t finish.
“The last two days of the cycle were the worst. The hills were fine as I’m used to cycling in Cumbria. I stopped every hour to drink and ease the pain and that’s how I got through it. I needed a lot of painkillers, but I’m definitely pleased I did it.”
As he recovers at home, Craig is still receiving donations and has planned a gathering at the Royal Oak in Appleby on Sunday to thank residents and local businesses who supported his incredible fundraising effort.
When his knee recovers, he expects to be back in the saddle and he’s already thinking about another fundraising trip next year.
Craig’s fundraising page can be found at: www.justgiving.com/page/craig-sowerby-cycling-challenge
