Bath Firefighter is cycling to France for Cancer Research

Matt Parsons, a firefighter in Bath, is cycling from Bath to Lyon and then running a marathon when he gets there on Sunday 6th October.

He's taking on the challenge 543 mile challenge to raise vital funds for Cancer Research UK.

The challenge comes after his wife was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of breast cancer in 2022.

Speaking about the challenge Matt said:

“Watching Jess go through this has been tough, but her strength is inspiring. All of this is to raise awareness and funds for Cancer Research UK, whose work is vital for families like ours. Cancer is happening right now, and Cancer Research UK’s work is crucial for people like Jessica, I hope by completing this challenge I can contribute to a future without cancer for our kids and grandkids."

Jess added:

“We must keep pushing for better treatments, especially for stage 4 breast cancer, one of the leading causes of death for women under 50 in the UK.

Jess's Story:

After undergoing six rounds of chemotherapy, Jess's cancer spread to her lymph nodes and grew significantly, which meant she had to have an emergency mastectomy.

Jess then had 15 rounds of radiotherapy and another 12 rounds of targeted therapy, which kept the cancer at bay.

Then in November 2023, following an all-clear full body scan, Jess's first annual mammogram revealed an anomaly in her other breast, leading to a new diagnosis of a different type of breast cancer.

Jess had to undergo another mastectomy in January 2024, and during her first chemotherapy session, a lump was discovered in her collarbone. The lump was confirmed as a recurrence of her first cancer, She was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer, albeit a curable form she was told by her medical team.

The couple together with friends and family have already raised over £21K for the charity.

You can find out more about Matt's challenge here.