Dundee man Andrew Strange has kickstarted a 274-mile cycle to raise money for brain tumour research.
Andrew, from Stobswell, is cycling 274 miles throughout August with an aim to raise £274 for the charity Brain Tumour Research.
The fundraiser target represents 10% of the cost of a day’s research into brain tumours.
Only 1% of the national spend for cancer research is allocated to the disease despite it killing more people under 40 than any other cancer.
Andrew, aged 40, says he decided to take on the challenge after two friends and their families were badly affected by brain tumours.
Three years ago, Andrew ran a marathon in Loch Ness with good friend Steven Reynolds who lost his 14-year-old stepson, Alex McCarthy, to a brain tumour.
Alex fought off the cancer with the help of chemotherapy and radiotherapy but received devastating news shortly after.
Andrew said: “It then came back and he wasn’t allowed to start chemo and radio therapy again because it was too soon after the previous course.
“Unfortunately, from the first tumour to dying, it was just over a year.”
Andrew said another friend’s relative has a brain tumour and likely “won’t be with us” in a year’s time.
He is determined to help in some way for people fighting now and diagnosed in the future.
He said: “I’ve done charity runs and things in the past and it’s just trying to get as much help so the next person won’t have to go through what they’re going to go through within the next sort of six to twelve months.”
Mending mental health
Andrew, who works as an infection control nurse for NHS Tayside, is also using the fundraising challenge to boost his own mental health after being impacted by stress throughout the pandemic.
He said: “Currently I’m off work. I’m an infection control nurse and I’m actually off sick due to stress and anxiety brought along from the workload that the pandemic has given us.
“So I’m using it for two reasons. One is to try and raise funds for brain tumour research and one is to help rebuild my own mental health recovery.”
Over £400 raised
Andrew, who set off from Dundee’s Waterfront, has smashed his fundraising target with over £400 already.
Andrew said: “This is not something that I’ve done before like a 10km run or a half marathon, this is a challenge that will go through the whole of August.
“It’s challenged me to get mentally well again and also to get as much recognition and as much help towards brain cancer research as possible.
“It was a spur of the moment. I saw it and I thought ‘I could do that’ and two weeks later I’ve raised £405.
“But I’m trying to raise as much money as possible.”
Brain tumour research
Joe Woollcott, community development manager for Brain Tumour Research, expressed sympathy for the difficulties Andrew’s friends have experienced.
He thanked him for taking on what he described as a “fantastic challenge” in spite of all he’s been going through.
He said: “We wish him all the very best for his 274 miles.
“Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer yet historically just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease.
“What’s more, unlike most other cancers, incidences of and deaths from brain tumours are rising. We cannot allow this devastating situation to continue.”
To donate to Andrew’s charity cycle, visit his Facebook fundraising page.
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