Barnsley man to cycle across Netherlands for Yorkshire Cancer Research

A Barnsley man will cycle across the Netherlands in May to raise funds for Yorkshire Cancer Research.

Paul Jackson plans to ride from Hoek van Holland to Amsterdam in memory of his dad, Adrian.

The 35-year-old said: “This cycle is in memory of my dad, who passed away from cancer in 2005.

“The work Yorkshire Cancer Research funds was crucial to my dad, giving him the chance to take part in drug trials which helped to prolong his life.”

Adrian was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma at 23 years old and sadly passed away at the age of 40.

Paul explained: “After he was diagnosed, my dad was put forward to be part of a treatment trial, and as a family we always thought that the work funded by Yorkshire Cancer Research gave us more years with him.

Paul is no stranger to cycle challenges, having completed sponsored bike rides between London and Amsterdam several times.

“I’ve done lots of challenges in the past so it’s definitely not new to me, but I haven’t done one in three years, so the hardest part has been getting back into it.”

Paul has been training hard for his cycle challenge, and has already surpassed his fundraising target of £250.

He will complete his journey with three friends via the Dutch towns and cities of Rotterdam, Delft, Leiden, Haarlem and Zaandam. The challenge is 155km in length, which will take the team two days to complete.

He said: “My dad was a supporter of Yorkshire Cancer Research after his diagnosis, so it felt right to be helping to raise funds for the charity now.”