Simon Lord who lives near Wallingford, Oxfordshire will be taking on a big cycling challenge on his 65th birthday on 17th July 2024 as he attempts to cycle non-stop within 24 hours (apart from two ferry crossings) from Trafalgar Square in London to Amsterdam via Dover-Calais. Leaving Trafalgar Square as the nearby Big Ben strikes midnight, Simon hopes to cover the entire distance by midnight on the same day.
Simon was diagnosed with prostate cancer 14 years ago and in the time since his successful surgery he has trained and is now working as a specialist personal trainer with an additional qualification in cancer rehabilitation. He is probably the only prostate cancer survivor in the UK with this skill set.
Simon has put in over 2,500 miles (4,000km) on his bike since the start of the year in his preparation for the event. He has ridden up to 160 miles in a day to ensure that he has the endurance to deal with the 275 miles (440 km) ride which will see him cycling from England, through Northern France, past Bruges in Belgium and then skirting Rotterdam in the Netherlands en route to the Dutch capital.
Simon is raising funds for The Urology Foundation (https://www.theurologyfoundation.org), the UK’s only charity dedicated to fighting all urology diseases through research, training, awareness raising, patient information, policy and campaigns, and MOVE Charity (https://www.moveagainstcancer.org) that supports exercise for cancer patients to assist them with recovery from the effects of cancer treatments.
Simon has been campaigning for greater awareness of prostate cancer since his treatment but he has also talked extensively about the need for there to be more clinical nurse specialists in urology and for them to be enabled financially to increase their knowledge and skills to better support the larger numbers of men being diagnosed with prostate cancer. In doing his ride he hopes to highlight both the benefits of exercise for cancer patients and the work that clinical nurse specialists do to support cancer patients, particularly in urology where their caseloads are often much higher than for other cancers.
Simon has been married to Sarah for 37 years and has three adult daughters. He works part-time for Tesco as well as working as a freelance personal trainer and rehabilitation specialist.
Rebecca Porta, Chief Executive of The Urology Foundation, said: “We’re absolutely thrilled that Simon is fundraising for our charity again. Simon is a true inspiration and is bringing hope to many people experiencing prostate cancer. His story is one of real determination and a commitment to drive positive change. The money raised for The Urology Foundation will help us to lead the fight against urology diseases, including prostate cancer. This challenge is incredibly impressive and shows the lengths Simon will go to improve outcomes for others who experience prostate cancer both now and in the future.”
Netty Kinsella, Nurse Consultant at The RoyaI Marsden, London said “I had the privilege of meeting Simon as his Nurse Specialist. After powering through rehab he has gone on to support and inspire people living with and after cancer for over a decade. He has proved a passionate ambassador for improving cancer services for patients both locally and nationally, working tirelessly with charities to campaign for more specialist nurse posts and to provide funding for educational opportunities for healthcare professionals working in cancer care. Beyond this he has made an impressive personal journey to train as a cancer rehab specialist to empower other cancer survivors to live their best lives.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors
For more information contact Simon Lord: 07743 414002
Photos available upon request.
In the UK an average of 52,000 men a year are diagnosed with prostate cancer, and although 78% of men diagnosed survive more than ten years after diagnosis about 12,000 men a year die from the disease. (Figures from Cancer research UK https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/health-professional/cancer-statistics/statistics-by-cancer-type/prostate-cancer )
In the UK there are currently 3 million people living with cancer, which is set to balloon to 4 million by 2030 (Macmillan - 2022).
Research has shown that exercise is safe, possible and helpful for many people with cancer. (Cancer Research UK).
For further information visit https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/coping/physically/exercise-guidelines
