Dad’s cancer shock pushes sons on ride
Reporter A LOVING dad’s terminal cancer diagnosis has served as the motivation for three brothers’ latest fundraising challenge.
Stephen, Kevin, and Graham Hay have been joined by 13 friends for their latest gruelling charity bike ride on behalf of the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation.
The riders - hailing from Sunniside, Whickham, and London - set off on their 150-mile ride from Newcastle to Lancaster on Thursday morning.
Leaving from Sir Bobby’s statue outside Newcastle’s St James’ Park, the fearless fundraisers will finish their “Three Days for Bobby” ride at Lancaster Castle on Saturday.
It is the ninth challenge the group will have come together for on behalf of the Foundation, but for the Hay family this year’s event has taken on a more personal meaning.
Peter Hay, 62, who now lives in Galloway after moving from Tyneside, was diagnosed with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of stage four brain cancer, earlier this year.
Organiser Stephen, who works as a treatment supervisor for Northumbrian Water, admitted this year’s ride was more “emotional” for the riders.
Stephen, 33, said: “When we started raising money for the Foundation it was as a tribute to Sir Bobby really. He achieved so much in football and then with his cancer charity and we wanted to do our bit for him.
“At first we thought Dad had just been overdoing things and was stressed, but then the diagnosis came. “We were all knocked for six. “It is quite emotional, especially as he is lying in a hospital bed as we speak. He has been on our rides before and I would have loved him to be alongside us today.
“We know dad’s cancer is incurable now, but we want to think that one day all cancer will be treatable.
“The ride will be hard, and none of us are what you’d call athletes, but we’re even more determined than usual to complete the challenge this time.”
The Three Days for Bobby cycle rides and sponsored walks have so far raised about £25,000 for the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation, which aims to find more effective ways to detect and treat cancer.
Former Newcastle United goalkeeper Steve Harper is a patron of the Foundation, and he was among the crowd to officially set the riders on their way.
He said: “We’re funded by people like this and it’s good to see the enthusiasm for the ride and the charity itself.
“You could sense the emotion today with Stephen and his brothers, they were raising money for the charity anyway because cancer affects far too many lives, and now it has the personal touch for them.”
To read more about the Three Days for Bobby riders and donate, visit www.justgiving.com/ fundraising/3daysforbobby2018.