An Angus dad-of-two diagnosed with bowel cancer has used a charity bike ride to encourage people to get symptoms checked and ‘leave embarrassment at the door of their doctor’s surgery.’
Nathan Grove wants people to sign up for Cancer Research UK’s Cycle 300 challenge and tackle 300 miles during the month of September.
Last year, the serviceman used the event to raise £9,069 for lifesaving research.
Nathan said, “I would hate for anyone to go through what I have gone through.
“I never expected to get bowel cancer at 41 and people were so shocked that someone in my apparent health, outwardly physically fit, could get it.”
The RAF aircraft engineer, who lives with wife Meaghan, daughters Madeline, 9, and Abigail, 7, had experienced symptoms of fatigue, pelvic pain and noticed blood in his stools prior to his May 2020 diagnosis.
He said: “I was tired a lot, the fatigue increased and the pain had become so bad I was using painkillers most of the time.
“Doctors initially thought the bleeding was down to haemorrhoids but the symptoms didn’t get any better.”
Dramatic blood loss
Nathan’s bouts of blood loss became so bad that his wife took him to A&E at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee.
He added: “After I was examined, the bleeding stopped and they said I should go home. Almost immediately after returning home it started again so my wife called 999 and I was rushed by ambulance to A&E.
“I’d lost so much blood my weight had dropped two and a half kilos in just a few hours.”
Strict lockdown visitor rules meant Nathan spent the next four days in hospital alone as doctors tried to find out the cause of his symptoms.
“The pivotal moment came in the early hours of the morning when my consultant asked to do a physical examination.
“As he was examining me, I could see his face change and I remember him saying, ‘I think I understand what this is but I can’t confirm anything until we have done some tests’.
“I knew then that we were dealing with something more serious.”
Doctors discovered a large mass in his lower colon and diagnosed him with colorectal cancer.
Covid restrictions
But Covid-19 restrictions meant the devastating news was delivered to him as he lay on his own in Ninewells.
Nathan, now 42, continued: “I’m normally very level-headed but the emotions did take over.
“I asked for a private room to make a video call to my wife to tell her the diagnosis. We shared some tears and then I came out and put a brave face back on.”
At the height of lockdown, he began an immediate treatment plan of radiotherapy and chemotherapy to shrink the tumour so it could be removed with surgery.
“Once I knew there was a treatment path, I felt better because there was a plan to follow.
“I had to attend the hospital appointments without my wife and children which was tough, but the care provided by the radiology and oncology staff was second to none.
“I couldn’t fault the medical team at Ninewells – they treated me as the patient, not the statistic.”
“My wife and girls were so strong throughout, they were like my live-in nurses and gave me so much support.”
Recovery
Having previously completed long-distance charity bike rides, Nathan spotted the Cycle 300 challenge and signed up – just four months after the bombshell diagnosis.
“The timing was great, I thought it would be perfect for me as it fitted around my treatment timetable and would help me get into the best shape possible before my surgery, to aid my recovery.
“I challenged myself to cycle 30 miles every other day and some days the girls would join me for some extra miles which was lovely.
Nathan said: “I started to put regular updates on my social media and began to get lots of exposure so as the miles added up, so did the donations and the challenge really opened the floodgates.
“I decided to use it to share the importance of getting symptoms checked and getting an early diagnosis.
“I was completely overwhelmed by the support. Complete strangers donated and I had friends coming to me in tears asking advice and sharing their own experiences with cancer.”
Cancer free
With 330 miles completed, Nathan’s final ride was to his surgical consultation on September 22 last year where he was declared fit enough to have his operation to have the tumour removed.”
It was both life-saving and life-changing for him as he will have a stoma in place for the rest of his life.
But he is currently cancer free, incredibly grateful to be here to continue his cycling adventures with his girls and determined to share his story to help others.
Nathan said, “Raising awareness for others and funding research are the priorities of Cycle 300, my endeavours are only a catalyst for those. If a life can be saved or improved as a consequence of the event then that’s a real plus.
“And if I could do this challenge in the condition I was in then it’s achievable by most of the population.”
Join the challenge and receive a free fundraising pack at cruk.org/cycle300
Lisa Adams of Cancer Research UK in Scotland said: “We are very grateful to Nathan for his support and hope it will start a chain-reaction, sparking the interest of cyclists of all ages and abilities.
“One in two of us will get cancer in our lifetime. But all of us can play a part to help beat it.”