West Lothian swim coach who thought stage 4 cancer diagnosis meant curtains for him is feeling great
Richard Bennett receives immunotherapy and decided to take on a 38-mile cycle challenge
An inspirational swimming coach from West Lothian diagnosed with stage 4 cancer after turning yellow while holidaying in Portugal is taking on a cycling challenge.
Broxburn-man Richard Bennett is raising funds for Maggie's Cancer Caring Centres by taking part in the Sir Chris Hoy Tour de 4 fundraising cycling challenge — while living with stage 4 melanoma.
The 63-year-old dad had booked a sunshine holiday last year with his wife Lesley, but while they were away he started feeling unusually weak and noticed worrying changes when he went to the toilet.
On returning home his daughter noticed he was jaundiced. Richard, a head coach at Broxburn swimming club, went to St John's Hospital in Livingston that night where he was scanned.
The scan showed up a mass in his pancreas but a few weeks later a biopsy revealed he has melanoma (skin cancer).
Doctors later confirmed the melanoma had spread to his pancreas, marking it as stage 4. Richard has been undergoing immunotherapy which has prevented the cancer advancing.
Richard said: 'It was a year ago just now. Before I went away I'd noticed my urine was darker and the stuff at the other end was lighter. I'd been working hard and had been desperate to get away, just me and my wife.
'I hadn't told my wife beforehand and when I got over there I didn't have a lot of energy and no appetite and thought something wasn't quite right.'
Richard then decide to research his symptoms on the internet which suggested he should seek medical attention.
'My daughter Sophie picked me up from the airport and said I looked yellow, so that was jaundice. What had happened was my bile duct had blocked. I was scanned at the hospital that night and there was a mass on my pancreas that they suspected was cancer. It was such a shock. I ended up in the Royal (Edinburgh) for a biopsy and they put a stent in to my bile duct.
"They thought it was probably pancreatic cancer which would have probably meant curtains for me. When the biopsy came back a couple of weeks later they told me it was melanoma, skin cancer that hadn't actually formed on my skin. They checked my body and there were no signs. They told me that the mass on my pancreas was effectively skin cancer. I haven't came across anyone else that's happened to.
'When they told me it was stage 4, I thought it would be palliative care and I wouldn't last long. I read Chris Hoy's book and found out that all stage 4 means is that it's moved from the original site to somewhere else, it's not necessarily a death sentence.'
Richard is receiving four-weekly immunotherapy treatment which heightens his own immune system to fight the cancer. So far the only side effects he is feeling is numbness in his feet. The mass shrunk and stabilised and there is no growth anywhere else in Richard's body. Richard isn't one for sitting around and was advised by medics to do some light walking.
'I've always kept myself fit so that just wasn't cutting it for me. I joined Xcite gym in West Lothian and told them about my condition, they gave me a training programme which I started doing twice a week and then building it up.
'I'm honestly feeling brilliant, strong. I'm still coaching three or four nights a week.
'I've always had a mountain bike and I've taken this cycling challenge on, which leaves from the Chris Hoy Velodrome on September 7, and is a 38-mile circuit. My friend Iain Blackwood is training me.'
Richard has already raised almost £1000 for Maggie's.
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Olympic cycling legend Sir Chris Hoy revealed in October 2024 that his stage 4 prostate cancer was terminal, after being initially diagnosed with cancer in September 2023. He published his autobiography All That Matters at the end of last year. Richard said: "I'm trying to be strong for the kids at the swimming club, and when I reflect, there's no point in dwelling on it and being sad - I want to be upbeat and brave. What is melanoma, what are the symptoms and how can you prevent it? Melanoma is the most serious type of skin cancer that has a tendency to spread around the body. It is diagnosed 16,000 times per year, and tragically takes the lives of 2,340 people per year. The number of people being diagnosed with melanoma is increasing, and it is the 5th most common cancer in the UK. But it is also one of the most preventable cancers, with 86 per cent of cases in the UK avoidable. The best way to protect yourself from melanoma is to be sun safe - wear SPF every day, wear a hat and sunglasses and keep out of the sun in the hottest hours. It is also advised to avoid sunbeds. People who are fair-skinned, have blue or green eyes, blonde or red hair and a large number of freckles or moles are more likely to get skin cancer. Surgery is the main treatment for melanoma, particularly if it is found early. This will involve removing the affected tissue in the skin. Radiotherapy, medicines and chemotherapy are also sometimes used to try and stop the cancer from growing. Treatment depends on the severity of the disease. What are the symptoms? The key thing to look out for are changes to an existing mole, or a new mole on your skin. Most experts recommend using the simple 'ABCDE' rule to look for symptoms of melanoma skin cancer, which can appear anywhere on the body. There are five letters/words to remember: Asymmetrical – melanomas usually have two very different halves and are an irregular shape Border – melanomas usually have a notched or ragged border Colours – melanomas will usually be a mix of two or more colours Diameter – most melanomas are usually larger than 6mm in diameter Enlargement or elevation – a mole that changes size over time is more likely to be a melanoma A mole that changes size, shape or colour may be a melanoma. But other signs to look out for include moles that are: Swollen and sore Bleeding Itchy Crusty How deadly is it? Melanoma is a deadly form of skin cancer. The outlook of a person's disease depends on the stage of the cancer when it was diagnosed. Survival is better for women than it is for men. 'We don't know exactly why this is. It may be because women are more likely to see a doctor about their melanoma at an earlier stage,' says Cancer Research UK. The charity says that generally, statistics show that in England, more than 85 out of every 100 people (more than 85 per cent) will survive their melanoma for 10 years or more after they are diagnosed. Around 100 per cent in England diagnosed with melanoma at stage 1 - when the cancer cells are only in the top layer of skin - will survive for five years or more after drops to 80 per cent for stage 2. Some 70 per cent live for a further five years when they are diagnosed in stage 3, which is when the cancer has started to spread to nearby lymph nodes. At stage 4, when the melanoma has spread elsewhere in the body, almost 30 per cent survive their cancer for 5 years or more. Cancer Research says the stage 4 data does not account for age differences. Age can affect outlook and younger people have a better prognosis than older people. Age can affect outlook and younger people have a better prognosis than older people. What is melanoma? Melanocytes are cells in the skin that give us the colour of our skin because they produce a pigment, known as melanin. When you sit in the sun, melanocytes produce more pigment (a sun tan), which spreads to other skin cells to protect them from the sun's rays. But melanocytes are also where cancer starts. Too much UV causes sunburn, and this is a sign of damage to the skin's DNA. The UV triggers changes in the melanocytes, which makes the genetic material become faulty and cause abnormal cell growth. People who burn easily are more at risk of skin cancer because their cells do not produce as much pigment to protect their skin. Those with albinism are at the most risk because their skin produces no pigment at all. "I'm surrounded by positive people and that in itself gave me a focus to keep going. I'm glad that the swimming club is there in my life. "And my family - even though I feel quite fit and well, even though I'm still trying to push on, they're always making sure I'm okay. "You're so used to looking after your kids and your family but they just took over and looked after me. "If I could turn the clock back, I would have acted immediately. "I don't think it would have made a big difference in respect to my diagnosis, but I would encourage anybody if things are not normal, then please speak to your doctor." Raising awareness Richard has now turned his attention to the Tour De 4 cycling challenge on September 7 - a 38-mile loop around Glasgow in support of cancer research. He said: "I had a mountain bike, and I quite liked going down the trails, but when I read Chris' book, he spoke about arranging the Tour de 4. "I said to my wife that this is something I want to do - it would be good to raise awareness. "As a stage four cancer patient, it would be great to raise money and help people just like me. What does stage 4 melanoma mean? Stage 4 means the melanoma has spread to parts of the body away from the original cancer site and further than the nearby lymph nodes. Melanoma can spread to other areas on the skin or to soft tissue. Soft tissue includes muscles, nerves, fat, and blood vessels. Sometimes it can spread to more than one area. Other common places for melanoma to spread include your: Lymph nodes further away from the melanoma – which ones depend on where the melanoma is Lungs Liver Bones Brain Small bowel Source: CRUK "I've been blown away by the fundraiser - I was so touched by everybody's kindness. "A few days in, and it's over £900 - I can't believe that. "I'm still currently employed by Lloyds Banking, and their support has been outstanding, too." You can support Richard's fundraiser here.
