'I felt lost after my terminal cancer diagnosis'
BBCA man living with stage four cancer is set to take part in Sir Chris Hoy's Tour de 4 cycling challenge, after facing the mental struggle of coming to terms with his own mortality.
Dr Roger Cliffe was diagnosed with terminal cancer in late 2024 and said he felt "really lost" when he realised "this was the end".
But he was inspired by Sir Chris's memoir, in which the former Olympian said that even though he also has a terminal diagnosis it was vital to make the best of every day.
"That's why I registered for the Tour De 4," Cliffe said. The 78-year-old will cycle from the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome in Glasgow with other cyclists with stage four cancer, on 6 September.
The charity event will see funds go to Macmillan, Prostate Cancer UK, Breast Cancer Now, Cure Leukaemia, and Cliffe's selected charity, Maggie's.
"I had always considered myself as very fit and immortal," Cliffe said. "You don't think about death at all, and so suddenly you have to come to terms with this and you won't be around.
"I had to sort out my money with my wife, where my wife can get into the accounts and what's going to happen with the house, and what she's going to do, and talking about.
"It's simple things like that. What you are going to do for funerals and that nature.
"It's coming to terms with that and just the thought of that was really hard. Mentally, it was difficult to accept and I just felt so low to start with."
For Cliffe it was when he turned to charity Maggie's that things improved, since its "gave [me] the right sort of help and support".
"They'd seen it all before," he said. "And so all the questions you had about the side effects of immunotherapy and chemotherapy, they'd seen it all before and were able to give you that reassurance."
What is Maggie's?
Maggie's is a UK-based charity that provides free practical, emotional, and psychological support for anyone living with cancer, as well as their family and friends.
There is currently no Maggie's centre in West Midlands, but a centre is being built in Coventry.
Cliffe has requested that all of his fundraising efforts go towards the new Coventry centre.
"I feel very strongly that we need that level of support round here," he added.
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