A Liverpool football fan from Hereford, recently diagnosed with prostate cancer, is set for an adventure of a lifetime as him and his family will embark on a road trip to the Champions League Final.
David Hammond, 57, from Tillington near Hereford, was diagnosed with the disease in late April, and will head to Paris, where the Reds take on Real Madrid in the Champions League final on 28 May, in a specially branded campervan.
He has also raised funds during a clutch of golf days in the build-up to the big game, and wants to spread awareness as he drives down the country to Paris and hopes supporters in the fan-zones in France will donate to the cause.
Sharing the same surname as a celebrity partial to a car challenge, Hammond and his five-strong clan, wife Jen, sons James, Ewan and Tommy, together with Ewan’s pal Spencer Nicholas, and Tommy’s girlfriend Kelly Brown, will leave Tillington on Friday morning, before embarking on the Eurotunnel to Paris later that day.
They will stay overnight a few hours into the country and aim to arrive in the French capital around 11am on Saturday.
As part of the trip, funds are being raised for Prostate Cancer UK and local charity St Michael’s Hospice.
David, who has been a trustee at St Michael’s Hospice in Bartestree, near Hereford, for almost a decade, has no ticket for the game but aims to soak up the atmosphere with his family.
He first spoke to a doctor earlier this year after an unrelated appointment for acid reflux, noting his more regular trips to the toilet, and was referred for tests and scans.
He was diagnosed at the end of April with the disease sadly spreading outside his prostate. His chemotherapy starts on June 6, hot on the heels of his French excursion.
He said: “It all started when I went out to buy a newspaper and I ended up spotting the van at my mate’s garage nearby, and then an idea was forged around heading to Paris.
“Obviously I’m on a tight schedule with my treatment, but it’s all fitted in pretty well. Being diagnosed was a shock, of course. But it opens up your eyes about going out and doing things here and now, so this is a great example. We can’t wait to get started.
“The aim of the next few weeks is to raise awareness of prostate cancer through golf and football, and to raise as much as possible for St Michael’s Hospice and Prostate Cancer UK.”
Nicola Tallett, director of fundraising and supporter engagement at Prostate Cancer UK, said: “Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men, with one in eight getting diagnosed in their lives.
"Prostate Cancer UK are grateful for the dedication of David and so many others across the UK, who help us to fund scientific research to stop prostate cancer damaging the lives of men and their loved ones.
“Everyone who supports Prostate Cancer UK has their own story, some heart-breaking and others heart-warming, but all united with a common aim to see a world where men’s lives are not limited by prostate cancer.
“We thank David for going that extra mile and wish him well on his epic road trip, which supports us in our promise and commitment: Men, we are with you.”
Matt Ashcroft, events and community fundraising manager at St Michael’s Hospice, added: “Everyone at St Michael’s Hospice wishes David well, both for his footballing journey to Paris, and his treatment journey.
“We are very grateful to him for going the extra mile for St Michael’s. It’s support like this which helps the Hospice continue to provide free of charge care to families across our community.”
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