Brain cancer patient to kayak 100 miles for charity ahead of 100th round of chemotherapy

A BRAIN cancer patient who is to undergo his 100th round of chemotherapy is planning to kayak 100 miles to raise funds for brain tumour research.

Ben Lindon was diagnosed with a brain tumour almost a decade ago.

Since then, the 39-year-old has had 99 cycles of chemotherapy.

On August 12, just before his 100th cycle of the gruelling cancer treatment, Mr Lindon is set to paddle 100 miles along the River Wye to raise money for the charity Brain Tumour Research.

Mr Lindon is set to paddle from Glasbury-on-Wye in Powys, Wales, to the sea at Chepstow in Monmouthshire.

He was initially told that aggressive radiotherapy to target his cancer would leave him unable to have children.

But since then he has fathered two children; Martha, aged four, and three-year-old Sidney.

He said his chemotherapy “varies” with each cycle.

Mr Lindon, from Malvern in Worcestershire, said in the beginning, even playing with his children was difficult.

He said sometimes he tolerates it well and other times, it is “horrible”.

The former journalist has completed a series of challenges in order to raise more than £10,000 for Brain Tumour Research, including the Three Peaks challenge and cycling from John O’Groats to Land’s End.

Mr Lindon said: “I’m lucky to have survived beyond the five years – less than 20% of us (brain cancer patients) do – and I will continue to take on a personal challenge each year until I am broken.

“I’m completing these challenges for two reasons: brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer, yet just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease. It is a disease that takes children from parents and parents from children. This is unacceptable and we need to change this.

“In simple terms, people don’t stand a good chance of survival because so little is known about this disease. Research needs money and I see it as one of my jobs to get that money.

“I was told I couldn’t have children after aggressive radiotherapy and what will be a lifetime of chemotherapy. Extraordinarily, I have been blessed with a beautiful daughter Martha, now four, and a very mischievous son Sidney, three. I’d like to show them that ordinary people like me with a life-limiting illness can overcome anything and see beautiful places if you fight.

“I am dedicating my ‘Wye 100, Wye Not?!’ challenge, as I am calling it, to Ryan Taylor, a young man from Nottingham, who I became friends with on social media. Ryan died earlier this year aged 26 from a brain tumour. He never got the chance to start a family of his own. His sister, Melanie Wilkinson, is a big supporter of Brain Tumour Research.”

Carol Robertson, head of community fundraising for Brain Tumour Research, said: “Ben is an amazing ambassador for our charity as well as an incredible fundraiser. We are so grateful to him for all he does. It’s vital that campaigners like Ben help to shine the spotlight on this neglected cancer. We desperately need more awareness and research investment so we can find a cure.”

Mr Lindon is hoping to raise £4,000 for the charity.

He was given a major boost when a donor claiming to be former British canoeist Alistair Munro donated £1,000 to the cause.

Mr Lindon’s fundraising page can be found at: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Ben-Lindon6