Harrogate lawyer set to undertake gruelling 600-mile cycle ride across Europe for charity

Oliver Beckett, who works for Stowe Family Law in Harrogate, is saying a heartfelt thank you to Christie Hospital who undertook a complex eight-hour operation to remove a rare cancer from his wife Jackie.

Oliver is planning to cycle the 600 miles in six days, starting from his North Leeds home and finishing in Copenhagen, in April.

He said: “I cannot thank Christies enough for saving Jackie’s life.

"In January 2021, Jackie was diagnosed with PMP (Pseudomyxoma Peritonei), a rare appendix cancer.

"PMP affects 1-2 people in a million and the operation to remove it is known in the medical community as the 'Mother of All Surgeries'.

“The operation is so specialist that it’s only able to be performed at two hospitals in the United Kingdom and hers involved the removal of seven organs.

"With Jackie’s bravery and superhuman powers of recovery and The Christie’s care, we were so lucky to celebrate this Christmas with our family, cancer-free and 90% of the way back to full health.

"I couldn’t be prouder of her and have no way of properly repaying the awe-inspiring team at The Christie.”

But Oliver is repaying the Christie Hospital with his courageous solo bike ride.

Find out which areas in Yorkshire are the easiest to pass your driving testHe added: “I took delivery of my first road bike in September 2021 as a release from stress.

"I am now planning this fundraising challenge, which will take me from Leeds to Hull, Rotterdam, Hamburg to Copenhagen with a couple other stops on the way.

"I will be cycling roughly eight hours a day from April 9 to 14.

“I’m not what you’d call fit, so it's going to be incredibly tough and a real challenge, but I didn’t think a bake sale would have the same impact.”

“The Christie have set up a charity fund for me where all donations go directly towards the clinical research to treat and cure PMP.

"I’m trying to raise as much money as possible – hopefully upwards of £10,000 - and I’m appealing for sponsorship across Yorkshire and beyond.

"Ultimately we want to cure this nasty disease."

If you want to help support Oliver with his 600-mile cycle ride across Europe, you can donate by visiting https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/oliver-beckett

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