Deb in saddle for blood cancer charity's London to Paris cycle ride
A Black Country woman is not letting a battle with cancer stop her from taking on a formidable fundraising challenge.
Deb Gascoyne, from Hagley, has been raising funds for Myeloma UK since she discovered she had the incurable blood cancer in 2009.
The then-34-year-old was given a life expectancy of just two to five years, but enjoyed eight years of remission after chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant in 2011.
Despite a relapse in 2019, she underwent a second successful transplant and has been in training for a challenge that will take her on a bike ride from London to Paris, something she said was outside her comfort zone.
Mrs Gascoyne said: "I'd been thinking about doing the Myeloma UK London to Paris bike ride, but I hate cycling and had been putting it off.
"Eventually, I decided I really wanted to do it and signed up about three months after my treatment, which is a daunting prospect because I wasn't sure if I would be well enough."
The ride in September will take the participants on a 308-mile ride from London to the French capital and will be the latest in a number of fundraising challenges Mrs Gascoyne has done since her initial diagnosis.
Tough
She has raised more than £125,000 for Myeloma UK and is currently engaging in her #50KB450 challenge, where she wants to raise more than £50,000 by her 50th birthday.
The 46-year-old has had help along the way, with friends and family holding quiz nights, dinner parties and body combat sessions among other events, which has raised more than £23,000 so far.
Mrs Gascoyne's 14-year-old son Sam, a student at Haybridge High School, has also set himself the task of completing 15 fundraising events before his 15th birthday, raising close to £6,000.
She said she would be doing the ride on an e-bike and said that while it would be tough, she was ready for the challenge and hoped she could inspire others.
"If I can get back on a bike for the first time in 25 years and cycle, anyone can and I think it's great to be active and to keep fit," she said.
"Being fitter and healthier gives you a more positive outlook on life and I do hope I can inspire people going through the same thing as me.
"I'm lucky in that I can get on a bike and do this as I know a lot of people can't, but I know it can help people as they'll see me doing it and think that they can as well."
To find out more about the challenge and to make a donation visit justgiving.com/londontoparis50KB450
