By Jennifer Cosgrove and Debbie Kerr

A BLIND cancer sufferer from Dundee will take on his latest challenge today when he swims the Tay to raise funds for the people who have cared for him.

Alan Wilson (56), who lives in the Charleston area, is registered blind, and was diagnosed with cancer of the stomach and bowel four years ago.

As a thank you to Macmillan Cancer Support nurses who treated him, he will use all of his determination to swim the mile-and-a-quarter from Broughty Ferry to Tayport to raise funds for the organisation’s Dundee appeal.

For over six months, Mr Wilson has been undergoing training at the pool of the Olympia leisure centre with the help of a personal trainer, in order to build up muscles affected by chemotherapy.

Despite the gruelling physical trial that comes with swimming in the cold water, and against the “swirl” of the Tay, Mr Wilson has demonstrated he is not a man who turns his back on a challenge, after enduring a number of tests in his own life.

Mr Wilson was working as a design engineer in Germany for Mercedes Benz when he was injured in an industrial accident in 1993, after a piece of metal damaged his right eye, which became infected.

He went on to lose the sight in this eye, but the infection spread to the left side and, despite spending thousands of pounds on surgery, he was unable to salvage the eye and was registered blind in 2005.

If losing his job and sight wasn’t enough, Mr Wilson was diagnosed with cancer in November 2004, undergoing a number of operations to remove his stomach and, at one point, coming close to death three times in one week in surgery.

“I will always carry the cancer,” Mr Wilson explained, “There will be no cure for me and it will end up killing me, but I’m fine just now, and I want to show my thanks to the people who cared for me.

“I would have died if it wasn’t for them. I think the problem was I had no brother, sister or family, and the Macmillan people were so good towards me.”

Mr Wilson says his life has been turned upside down, but one saving grace has been his faithful black Labrador Urwin, a companion for over two years.

“He brought the world towards me and he taught me not to be frightened of it,” he said.

Urwin will accompany Mr Wilson on his swim today at 7am in a support vessel along with two qualified sailors, who will shout out directions for him to follow.

“It should take me about an hour and a quarter, providing I don’t tire,” Mr Wilson said.

“I used to be a cross- country champion before I took ill and I’ve had to build my muscles back up, because the chemo turns them to putty.

“The biggest problem I face is stiffening of the muscles due to the cold, and I’ll also have to be wary of the current.”

Mr Wilson has no idea how much cash he will raise but a business has already pledged £5000 and he has persuaded stores and bars to display charity boxes.

Shirley Millar, area fund-raising manager for Macmillan Cancer Support, said, “Alan’s grit and determination helped him pull through and he will need every inch of that grit and determination to get him across the Tay.”

Despite also being the victim of a recent break-in, Mr Wilson says he will continue to shrug off adversity, and hopes his swim will demonstrate the important role cancer carers play.