Brain tumour dad joins his son on a biking marathon
ADAD who was given just two years to live when he was diagnosed with a brain tumour will complete a 100-mile tandem bike ride with his son.
Liam Bergin, 50, who lives in Bollington, will take an off-road route to Stafford, where he is originally from, on June 13.
Alongside student son Joe he will be raising money for charity Brain Tumour Research.
Liam was diagnosed with a glioblastoma multiforme in April 2020 after he had passed out 12 weeks earlier and taken to Manchester Royal Infirmary.
At the time of his collapse he was in apparent good health and had just been for a lengthy bike ride but within months he was told he had a terminal grade three or four tumour.
Liam, who is married to Jen and has two daughters aged 17 and 15, said: “I’d not been back long and was in the kitchen chopping garlic for tea, when I must have fitted and passed out on the floor.
“Jen was out with the girls taking the dog for a walk.
“I woke up to the sound of banging on the door and Jen came in to find me lying on the floor in a pool of blood.
“They said I must have been out for 15 to 20 minutes and they kept me in overnight for observations. The following morning, I said I was struggling to eat my toast.
“He checked my tongue and noticed it looked as if I had bitten it, which would suggest I’d had a seizure, possibly my first epileptic fit.“
A scan then revealed a brain tumour and medics gave Liam between tow and four years to live.
He had 95 per cent of the tumour removed in July 2020 but was forced to take ill-health retirement from his head of catering position at the University of Manchester.
Speaking about getting back in the saddle he said: “It’s going to be great to do this with Joe.
“My balance is not as good as it used to be, but the whole route is off-road so we should be ok.
“I want to be a force for good, to chase the science and to expand knowledge and awareness as far as I can and I’m doing this for all of those who have died from brain tumours.”
Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer.
Matthew Price, from Brain Tumour Research said: “We’re really grateful to Liam and Joe as it’s only with the support of people like them that we’re able to progress our research into brain tumours and improve the outcome for patients like Liam who are forced to fight this awful disease.”
To donate visit www. justgiving.com/fundraising/liam-bergin7.