Firefighter to cycle to France for cancer charity

A firefighter plans to cycle from Somerset to France and run a marathon in support of his wife, who is going through a second diagnosis of breast cancer.

Matt Parsons, 45, is taking on the 569 mile (916km) challenge after his wife, Jess Parsons, 38, was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of breast cancer in 2022.

"Watching Jess go through this has been tough, but her strength is inspiring," he said.

Mr Parsons will set off on a five-day challenge on 2 October, cycling from Bath to Lyon in France and running a marathon when he gets there.

The couple - together with friends and family - have already raised more than £21,000 for Cancer Research UK.

After undergoing six gruelling rounds of chemotherapy, Mrs Parsons' cancer spread to her lymph nodes and grew significantly, which meant she had to have an emergency mastectomy.

She faced 15 rounds of radiotherapy and another 12 rounds of targeted therapy, which kept the cancer at bay.

In November 2023, she received an all-clear full body scan, however just a month later her first annual mammogram revealed an anomaly in her other breast, leading to a new diagnosis of a different type of breast cancer.

Mrs Parsons had to undergo another mastectomy in January 2024, and during her first chemotherapy session, a lump was discovered in her collarbone.

The lump was confirmed as a recurrence of her first cancer. She was diagnosed with stage four cancer, albeit a curable form she was told by her medical team.

"I hope by completing this challenge I can contribute to a future without cancer for our kids and grandkids," said Mr Parsons.

Mrs Parsons added: “We must keep pushing for better treatments, especially for stage 4 breast cancer, one of the leading causes of death for women under 50 in the UK."

The journey to Lyon is significant for the Parsons family as it is where Mrs Parsons is from.

Once Mr Parsons has arrived in Lyon, he will be joined by his wife and their children who will cheer him on at the final leg of the Lyon Marathon.

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