Latest news with #Tourde4
Edinburgh Live
5 days ago
- Health
- Edinburgh Live
West Lothian dad diagnosed with cancer after 'skin turned yellow on holiday'
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info A West Lothian man received a shock diagnosis last year after his skin turned yellow while on holiday with his wife. Richard Bennett, 63, started noticing things weren't right with his body before they left for Portugal - including a difference in the colour of his urine. The dad from Whitburn was told his skin was yellow after his daughter picked them up from the airport. After a visit to the hospital, he was told he had stage four melanoma and said the diagnosis came as a 'complete shock'. He is now undergoing treatment every four weeks which is understood to be shrinking the tumour. Speaking to Edinburgh Live, Richard said: "I noticed things weren't right before we left for a short holiday. I hadn't told my wife at that point because I was desperate to get away because I had been working so hard. "Two days in, I wasn't feeling well - I had no energy and appetite. When my daughter picked us up from the airport she said I looked yellow. "I had a scan and they found a mass on my pancreas. I had skin cancer but it formed on my pancreas. "When I found out I was distraught because I felt like it was the end for me. I didn't have a lot of clear symptoms so it was a big shock when I found out. "The treatment has quietened everything down and stabilised the tumour. They told me I can have the treatment for two years and after that the therapy will stay in the body and continue to fight it. Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sentstraight to your messages. "At the start of it all, I was really sad and angry and every time I felt like that I lost a day when I could have been happy and positive." The 63-year-old is now raising funds for Maggie's Cancer Caring Centres by taking part in the Tour de 4 cycling challenge — all while living with the stage four diagnosis and undergoing immunotherapy treatment. The event is taking place on September 7 with Richard squeezing in gym sessions twice a week while continuing to work as a swim coach — a role he's passionate about. He added: "When I read Chris Hoy's book, it mentioned he was going to do a fundraiser for people that have stage 4 cancer and to raise awareness. I realised this was something I could do. Sign up for Edinburgh Live newsletters for more headlines straight to your inbox "I am doing it because I realised I could and I wanted to - it felt like a lightbulb moment for me." You can donate to the fundraiser here.
Daily Record
6 days ago
- Health
- Daily Record
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.
Hindustan Times
26-05-2025
- Health
- Hindustan Times
UK woman dismisses symptoms as food poisoning, ends up losing 13 organs to rare cancer
According to a report by the People, PMP is a rare mucinous cancer that spreads within the abdominal cavity by secreting mucin, a thick substance found in mucus. It often leads to abdominal swelling, pain, nausea, and changes in appetite. In Hind's case, the cancer had already spread extensively by the time it was diagnosed. In April 2019, at the age of 34, Hind underwent her first major operation, during which her appendix, umbilicus, lesser omentum and over 1.6 gallons of mucin were removed. Following this, she endured eight gruelling rounds of chemotherapy. But the treatment didn't end there. As The Mirror reported, in November 2019 she underwent another major operation that included the removal of her gallbladder, spleen, large bowel, uterus, ovaries, fallopian tubes, cervix, rectum, part of her stomach and small bowel, the surface layer of her liver and both sides of her diaphragm. Today, Hind relies on 50 to 60 tablets daily, including pain relief and hormone therapy. Despite such life-altering procedures, Hind has remained resilient. 'I turn 40 this year and I want to say yes to everything. I've been surfing, in a hot air balloon and dog sledding so far,' she told The Mirror. 'The message I want to get across is when you have a stoma or an incurable diagnosis, things will be incredibly difficult. My daily life is a rollercoaster,' she added. 'But with the right attitude, you can still achieve a lot. And more importantly, enjoy whatever time you have.' Hind has also launched a GoFundMe campaign to support others living with PMP. 'In September, I'm going to take part in Chris Hoy's 'Tour de 4', a bike event which aims to challenge people's perspective of Stage 4 cancer,' she wrote. Despite the recent discovery of a new tumour and another surgery that left her hospitalised for six weeks, she remains committed to completing the 90km ride. Any funds raised, she says, will be donated to Pseudomyxoma Survivor, a patient-run charity that supports individuals affected by this rare disease. Hind, who says she has 'essentially run out of treatment options,' remains focused on helping others—and living each day to the fullest.
NDTV
25-05-2025
- Health
- NDTV
UK Woman Mistook Symptoms For Food Poisoning, Later Lost 13 Organs To Rare Cancer
A woman in the UK had 13 of her internal organs surgically removed after being diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of cancer. Despite facing life-altering medical challenges, she has committed to living her life to the fullest, the People reported. Rebecca Hind, 39, from Cumbria in northwest England, first began feeling unwell after an office Christmas party in late 2018. Initially believing she had food poisoning, her symptoms persisted for weeks. After undergoing multiple tests, she was diagnosed with pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP), a rare mucin-producing cancer that affects just one in a million people, according to medical experts. By the time doctors detected the disease, it had spread extensively through her abdominal cavity, requiring immediate and aggressive treatment. Hind underwent multiple major surgeries, including one in April 2019 to remove her appendix and part of her abdominal lining, followed by eight rounds of chemotherapy. In a second surgery later that year, surgeons removed several of her internal organs, including her spleen, gallbladder, womb, ovaries, bowel, rectum, cervix, fallopian tubes, parts of her stomach and liver, and both sides of her diaphragm. She now lives with a stoma and survives on electrolyte fluids and dozens of tablets daily. Speaking to British media, Hind said she was determined to focus on life beyond her illness. "My daily life is a rollercoaster. But with the right attitude, you can still achieve a lot," she said, adding that she had already gone surfing, hot-air ballooning and dog sledging. As part of her efforts to raise awareness about life with Stage 4 cancer, Hind plans to participate in the 'Tour de 4' cycling event led by Olympian Sir Chris Hoy later this year, aiming to complete the full 90 km route. She has also launched a GoFundMe campaign to support cancer survivors and raise funds for Pseudomyxoma Survivor, a patient-run charity supporting those diagnosed with PMP. Her campaign has so far raised $1,800. Hind, who has run out of treatment options, says she hopes to use whatever time she has left to inspire others and advocate for better support and visibility for patients living with incurable conditions.
Glasgow Times
17-05-2025
- Sport
- Glasgow Times
Sir Chris Hoy to launch inaugural cycling event in Glasgow
The six-time Olympic champion's Tour de 4 event aims to challenge how we view those living with stage 4 cancer and to generate funds for UK cancer charities. Participants will start and finish at the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome on September 7. Rides will range from a 90km road ride and a 60km option to a 1km family loop around the velodrome, as well as a static bike ride in the centre of the velodrome. Read more: Nurse gears up to take part in global motorcycle event Arnold Clark has been named an official supporter of a new charity cycling event. Russell Borrie, chief executive officer of Arnold Clark, said: "We're delighted to sponsor this incredible cycling event launched by Sir Chris Hoy, which will be a great day for raising awareness and challenging the way people perceive life with stage 4 cancer. "We've worked closely with Sir Chris for a number of years in his role as an Arnold Clark Ambassador and continue to be amazed by his incredible achievements. "It's also important that we continue to support cancer charities and the vital work they carry out across the UK." Read more: Glasgow's Barras psychic who gives readings with cards pays tribute to venue Sir Hoy said: "I'm thrilled to welcome Arnold Clark as an official sponsor of Tour de 4. "Having worked together for a number of years, their support for Tour de 4 now marks a significant milestone in our shared commitment to changing perceptions of stage 4 cancer and raising vital funds for cancer charities across the UK." Registration is now open for those wishing to participate and is available via the Tour de 4 website.
