London friends create charitable venture to highlight cancer also suffered by Steve Jobs

June 20, 2013 - PRLog -- On Sunday 23rd June, a group of friends will aim to cycle a total of 3,150 miles through London.

Every year approximately 3,150 people are diagnosed with neuroendocrine cancer. This unusual cancer, which killed Apple CEO Steve Jobs in 2011, arises in the hormonal system. It can affect people of all ages, and can be very difficult to detect.

In 2012 Londoner Matt McGurran was diagnosed with neuroendocrine cancer at the age of 35. In a bid to raise awareness of this disease and raise funds, a group of Matt’s friends have set themselves a series of challenges, under the banner ‘This Life Matters’.

Inspired by the iCancer fundraising campaign in Sweden, where funds were being raised to enable tests that could lead to a cure for this form of cancer, friends of Matt and his wife Victoria (whose wedding was brought forward to 2nd June 2013) put together the initiative, hoping rise awareness and aid in the effort.

On 16th March, they rowed 1.2 million metres (1200km) on rowing machines at Imperial College Boat Club – approximately the distance between the UK and iCancer's research laboratory in Uppsala, Sweden - with some participants completing 50 kilometres in one sitting. Matt also took part in this challenge, along with his wife Victoria.

Rob Douglas said: "We've been absolutely thrilled by the response to this endeavour and the generosity of people in terms of willingness to participate, support or donate to This Life Matters has been overwhelming."

In the latest challenge, Matt’s friends will cycle 1 mile for every person diagnosed with neuroendocrine cancer in the UK each year. At 8am, a team of cyclists will leave from Buckingham Palace and cycle to Richmond Park, where they will do circuits of the royal park until they reach their total. They hope to be joined by many other cyclists to help them achieve their goal.

Tom Jackson said: "We are really hoping that this second challenge builds on the success of the first, so would love people to come and see us at Broomfield Car Park on 23rd or visit our website to see how we are getting on with our next challenges!"

Catherine Bouvier, Director of the NET Patient Foundation, said: "We are delighted to support the fantastic and innovative TLM team in their efforts to raise awareness of neuroendocrine cancers. This is an unusual group of cancers that can affect people of all ages. The Foundation is the only charity in the UK and Ireland dedicated to providing support and information to people affected by these cancers. It is crucial that all NET patients are treated in a specialist unit by a team of experts who will give them the best possible care. We now have six centres of excellence in the UK. There are also a number of promising clinical research studies being carried out in the UK, which need our support."

Further challenges include a Bridge to Bridge swimming challenge down the River Thames.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

- This Life Matters was founded by Rob Douglas, Stuart Peel and Tom Jackson, more information can be found at thislifematters.co.uk

- a video of the previous challenge can be found here: http://vimeo.com/68041019



- Base camp will be at Broomfield Hill car park

- Funds raised will go to the charity for neuroendocrine cancer patients, the NET Patient Foundation

- This Life Matters : justgiving.com/thislifematters

- Rob Douglas mobile: 07557 205 906

- NET Patient Foundation: netpatientfoundation.org

Media contact: Maia Sissons maia@netpatientfoundation.org / Mob: 07595 068 998

- In 2003, Steve Jobs was diagnosed with a pancreas neuroendocrine tumour. Though it was initially treated, he reported a hormone imbalance, underwent a liver transplant in 2009, and appeared progressively thinner as his health declined. On medical leave for most of 2011, Jobs resigned in August that year, and was elected Chairman of the Board. He died of respiratory arrest related to his metastatic tumor on October 5, 2011

- over 3,000 people are diagnosed with neuroendocrine cancer every year in the UK, which makes it more common than testicular cancer

- This cancer has been the topic of many articles in relation to the iCancer campaign to raise money for a potential cure in the face of various legal/patent hurdles.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/10120853/Is-it-time-for-the-public-to-start-funding-cancer-research.html

http://www.uu.se/en/news/news-document/?id=1916&area=2

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/jan/04/2013-new-approach-fighting-cancer

http://www.netpatientfoundation.org/2012/09/a-virus-that-could-kill-net-cancer-article-in-the-telegraph-by-alexander-masters/

http://wildcat2030.tumblr.com/post/46414459495/alexander-masters-crowdfunding-for-cancer-can-it-make