A retired university lecturer and touring cycle enthusiast has announced his aim to cycle for more than 2,000 miles across three of the UK’s highest mountains to raise money in memory of his brother.
Wayne O’Brien, a former University of Chester professor, be taking part in the popular ‘3 Peaks Challenge’, which will see him climb over 11,000 feet across Mountains in England, Scotland and Wales all by himself.
He will be cycling in memory of his brother Gary who died in November 2024. Mr. O’Brien said: “Cancer doesn’t just affect the people who have cancer. Watching my brother die of cancer was not nice at all.”
Gary successfully battled leukaemia for ten years and had two bone marrow transplants.
He was later diagnosed with lung cancer and was given two months to live. Four and half months later passed away.
Wayne’s older brother Ken also died of cancer, six years ago, and his sister Wendy is currently battling leukaemia.
According to Cancer Research UK nearly 1 in 2 people will be diagnosed with some form of cancer during their lifetime.
Mr. O’Brien said: “It’s in the interest of everybody to make sure cancer goes away and the only that’s going to happen is through organisations like Cancer Research UK.”
Mr. O’Brien hopes to complete the challenge in a month. This is not his first time completing a journey for charity, having cycled 6,500 miles across America and Europe in 2009.
Cancer survival is improving and has doubled in the last 50 years in the UK.
He will be filming events leading up to and during his challenge and posting them on Facebook and YouTube, to make it interesting, and to keep everyone informed.
All details of Wayne’s journey for Cancer Research UK are available the website www.321ride.co.uk.
