Daryl Brady, right, with his late friend Tom and fellow former Christie patients Gemma Reade and Ruth Foreman
A cancer patient will follow in the steps of one of his inspirational friends who completed the Coast to Coast walk while in the terminal stages of the disease.
Tom Buckley was hailed a hero when he undertook the 309km (192-mile) route during some of the winter’s worst weather to raise cash for the hospital that treated him. Tom died in May this year, having aimed to raise £500. So far, his efforts have boosted the coffers of Manchester’s Christie Hospital by more than £112,000.
Now, one of his friends is to set out on the first anniversary of Tom’s starting date to tackle the walk, which runs from St Bees on the Cumbrian coast to Robin Hood’s Bay in North Yorkshire. Daryl Brady, 26, of Wigan in Greater Manchester will set off on 29 November.
Daryl was diagnosed with testicular cancer at the age of 20 and was treated at the Young Oncology unit of the south Manchester hospital at the same time Tom was undergoing his treatment.
Like his late friend, Daryl has set up a justgiving page for donations to the charity.
Tom Buckley pauses during the Lakeland section of his Coast to Coast Walk
On it, he says of his time at the Christie: “Here I made many friends, one of which was a genuinely great and inspirational friend Thomas Buckley. It was in September 2008 that he was told his cancer was terminal, but rather than just admit defeat he decided he would do all he can to give something back to the hospital that tried so hard to help him fight his illness.
“He set out to do this by carrying out the St Bees Head to Robin Hood’s Bay Coast to Coast Walk, a 190-mile walk across the country in December.
“Unfortunately on 13 May Tom passed away. As a tribute to such an amazing person and inspirational friend, on 29 November I will set out on the Coast to Coast Walk in memory of Tom, the same date Tom started his journey last year, and to raise money for the Christie Young Oncology Unit.
“I’m aiming to do the 190 miles in 13 days, accompanied by John Ackers, the father of an ex-patient, and Lisa Clough-Field, a patient who has just finished treatment.”
Daryl previously featured in publicity from the Christie to raise awareness in young men to be on the lookout for testicular cancer.
He said: “I found a lump after I was hit in the groin playing football, but it took me six months to pluck up the courage to do anything about it and go to the doctors – and that was only because I was starting to feel ill and lose weight.
“Fortunately, my treatment went well and following chemotherapy and surgery I’ve made a full recovery and I’m now back at work, but I’ve really learnt the massive value of checking yourself and seeing the doctor as soon as possible.
“I think it’s amazing that people are running this campaign to highlight the issue to other young men. I tell all my mates to check themselves at least once a week and not be shy about reporting anything strange. It is nothing to be embarrassed about, and after all, it could save your life.”
The Coast to Coast Walk was devised by celebrated chronicler of the fells Alfred Wainwright. grough has walked the route; you can read about the experience on our routes pages.
Tom Buckley was hailed a hero when he undertook the 309km (192-mile) route during some of the winter’s worst weather to raise cash for the hospital that treated him. Tom died in May this year, having aimed to raise £500. So far, his efforts have boosted the coffers of Manchester’s Christie Hospital by more than £112,000.
Now, one of his friends is to set out on the first anniversary of Tom’s starting date to tackle the walk, which runs from St Bees on the Cumbrian coast to Robin Hood’s Bay in North Yorkshire. Daryl Brady, 26, of Wigan in Greater Manchester will set off on 29 November.
Daryl was diagnosed with testicular cancer at the age of 20 and was treated at the Young Oncology unit of the south Manchester hospital at the same time Tom was undergoing his treatment.
Like his late friend, Daryl has set up a justgiving page for donations to the charity.
On it, he says of his time at the Christie: “Here I made many friends, one of which was a genuinely great and inspirational friend Thomas Buckley. It was in September 2008 that he was told his cancer was terminal, but rather than just admit defeat he decided he would do all he can to give something back to the hospital that tried so hard to help him fight his illness.
“He set out to do this by carrying out the St Bees Head to Robin Hood’s Bay Coast to Coast Walk, a 190-mile walk across the country in December.
“Unfortunately on 13 May Tom passed away. As a tribute to such an amazing person and inspirational friend, on 29 November I will set out on the Coast to Coast Walk in memory of Tom, the same date Tom started his journey last year, and to raise money for the Christie Young Oncology Unit.
“I’m aiming to do the 190 miles in 13 days, accompanied by John Ackers, the father of an ex-patient, and Lisa Clough-Field, a patient who has just finished treatment.”
Daryl previously featured in publicity from the Christie to raise awareness in young men to be on the lookout for testicular cancer.
He said: “I found a lump after I was hit in the groin playing football, but it took me six months to pluck up the courage to do anything about it and go to the doctors – and that was only because I was starting to feel ill and lose weight.
“Fortunately, my treatment went well and following chemotherapy and surgery I’ve made a full recovery and I’m now back at work, but I’ve really learnt the massive value of checking yourself and seeing the doctor as soon as possible.
“I think it’s amazing that people are running this campaign to highlight the issue to other young men. I tell all my mates to check themselves at least once a week and not be shy about reporting anything strange. It is nothing to be embarrassed about, and after all, it could save your life.”
The Coast to Coast Walk was devised by celebrated chronicler of the fells Alfred Wainwright. grough has walked the route; you can read about the experience on our routes pages.
