A BRADFORD man is set to paddle board nearly 300 kilometres in seven days along three canal networks of the Outer Pennine Ring to raise money for a charity which is helping his fiancée battle breast cancer.
On Easter Monday, Jonathan Callow, 32, from Thackley, will stand up on his paddle board for seven days for Stand Up To Cancer because his fiancé Anna Hall, 37, has just finished treatment after being diagnosed with breast cancer a year ago.
Anna’s cancer was caught after their daughter Eira, now two, was running around and accidentally fell on Anna’s breast, causing unexpected bruising which prompted her to go to her doctor.
In the last year, Anna has gone through three surgeries, chemotherapy and radio therapy which all finished on March 20, all while being an amazing mum to Eira while Jon was working.
“It was tough to say the least,” said Jon. “It was one thing after another.
“Anna had three surgeries with two to six weeks recovery after each. But she had to stay active.
“She just finished her radiotherapy, but Anna’s been really positive throughout this process, so much so that there were some people who didn’t realise.”
Jon, who runs outdoor adventure business River and Dales Adventures, felt he wanted to do something, so set himself a challenge.
Cheered on by family and friends, he will set off at 10am on Monday, April 1, from outside the Saltaire Brewery, on Dockfield Road, Shipley, which is on the bank of the Leeds-Liverpool Canal.
He will mostly be on his own over the seven days, without a support vehicle, travelling on his board along the route, which takes in 184 miles (296km) of canals and rivers.
He will start at Saltaire and go into Leeds via the Leeds-Liverpool Canal. He will paddle on the River Aire and River Calder before moving to the Rochdale Canal, Bridgewater Canal and then back onto the Leeds-Liverpool Canal at Wigan.
“It’s definitely going to be challenging,” said Jon. “I’ve done a 100km canoe challenge with a crew on the Caledonian Canal, but this journey will be completely unsupported.”
Nicki Embleton, spokesperson for Cancer Research UK, said: “We are so grateful to Jon taking on this huge physical and emotional challenge to raise money for Stand Up To Cancer, the joint fundraising campaign from Cancer Research UK and Channel 4.
“Stand Up To Cancer takes developments from the lab and accelerates them into new tests and treatments that could help save lives.”
To support Jon, visit gofundme.com/f/sup-against-cancer
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