Will’s 9,845 kilometre challenge!

We caught up with Will, who has been cycling, rowing, and walking an incredible distance of 9845km: the distance from his house in Rwanda, all the way to University College Hospital’s Cancer Centre. Will’s nine-month challenge marks the months of treatment his wife Anna received at UCLH, to thank the incredible team there.

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“After the first few days of challenge and doing 40km a day I think my body was wondering what I was doing and what had happened to it… Once past that hurdle, the major obstacle was finding both the time and the equipment, either and indoor bike or rowing machine, each day to get the kilometres done alongside normal daily life which as a wildlife photographer includes quite a bit of travel across Rwanda as well as South Africa, the UK and Uganda!

Covering the daily distance has often been a solitary endeavour so the two highlights of the challenge so far have been when others have walked with me. The first was with all the students and teachers from my daughter’s school and the second was when some of the staff and families at the British High Commission in Kigali, where Anna works, walked with me.

I’ve recently increased my daily minimum distance to 50km and aim to finish on 12 or 13th June. I’m going to finish the challenge with another challenge! To try and raise awareness and funds for a Rwandan charity, Rwanda Cancer Relief. This will be 24 hours walking on a treadmill, coming off only for comfort breaks.”

We wanted to say a huge thank you to Will for the donation of some of his fantastic wildlife photography work, which we’re going to host as an exhibition. Based in the Cancer Centre, we hope the pictures will be appreciated by patients and families visiting the hospital, as well as staff, brightening the hospital space. Prints will be available in an auction and prize raffle later in the year – stay tuned for details!

Support Will here!

London Landmarks Half Marathon 2024!

This year we had five fantastic fundraisers take on the London Landmarks Half Marathon, raising over £5,800 for UCLH cancer services!

Jess Munro “I wanted to run the half to set myself a new challenge and support the amazing care UCLH provides patients and their families. Being able to raise specifically for the cancer fund is extra special to me as my Grandad, James Hewitt, received care from UCLH for Acute Myeloid Leukaemia back in 1994 and more recently in 2016. Though he sadly passed away in 2017, under the incredible care of such lovely doctors, nurses, and general staff, the level of professional medical care, as well as genuine emotional support he and we received, truly made such a hard time so much easier. Knowing a loved one is being cared for and being given the best treatment possible is all you can ask for when they need to stay in the hospital for months on end. His first time under UCLH’s care in 1994 gave him 22 years of remission, 22 years filled with such fond memories, and if it wasn’t for his successful treatment, I would have never met or known him, and will therefore be eternally grateful to UCLH for the 19 years that their care gave me with him also.”

James Harris “Having worked in cancer services in one form or another at UCLH for around four years, I have seen the impact that UCLH Charity Cancer Fund can have on patients, carers and services at UCLH.” 

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Fabian Fernandes “Run for the people that can’t, give to those in need, and try your best to inspire others.”

Alex Phylactou and Samraj Nota ran in support of the Cancer Fund, following Alex’s treatment. “Having undergone chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment at UCLH in 2018/2019, I am extremely proud to raise money for the amazing UCLH Cancer Fund.”