Cyclist's brother completes a heart-breaking ride

Howard Lake | 20 July 2006 | Newswire

The brother of a terminally ill man, Peter Thomas, has completed a 1,000-mile bike ride with a team of friends, a trek that was inspired by Peter to raise awareness and funds for the rare form of cancer that struck him down.
‘It was a heart-rending decision to go on this ride, because while this was something that Peter was adamant that we finish, I knew that with each turn of my pedals I was being taken further away from his bedside, at a time when I really should have been there,’ said Wayne Thomas, Peter’s brother.
Peter, who has had his stomach, spleen, left adrenal gland and most of his pancreas removed because of this disease, known as GIST, or gastrointestinal stromal tumours, had planned to lead the Lands End to John O’Groats trek himself.
But his condition has deteriorated over the past few weeks to such an extent that even keeping up with the team of cyclists in a support vehicle was not an option. Peter is now being cared for in a hospice close to his home in Woking, Surrey.
He said last week: ‘I’m an ordinary man, and this team comprises other ordinary people who simply share a commitment to raise £250,000 to support research into GIST.’
Experts estimate that about 5,000 GIST cases are diagnosed each year. It’s a relatively recently identified cancer that needs extensive and ongoing research, and that is why Peter organized this ambitious trip.
The team is sponsored by Peter’s medical insurer, Standard Life Healthcare, with two senior employees involved – one cycling and one as part of the support team for the whole trip. The trip began on the 10th July and was completed yesterday within the target of 10 days. People can find out more and donate by visiting www.gistinfo.com.

About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale. He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.