Charity cyclists brave the elements to complete LeJog relay challenge
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CHARITY cyclists arrived in John O'Groats yesterday afternoon after completing the Breathe for Life Team Cycle Challenge from Land's End to raise awareness of lung cancer.
They were also raising funds for the Ruth Strauss Foundation and ALK-positive UK Lung Cancer - two charities supporting research and action to prevent and treat rare lung cancers and to provide wellbeing support to families affected by these diseases.
A spokesperson said: "We are riding to shine a spotlight on the rising tide of air pollution as a known but under-appreciated risk factor, supporting the Friends of the Earth Campaign for Clean Air."
Debra Montague of ALK-positive met the cyclists on their arrival at John O'Groats around 4pm on Monday afternoon.
Commenting on the weather conditions, she said: "They only had two dry days out of a total of 16 cycling days."
Two cyclists completed the whole trip with other cyclists joining in along the way.
One of the organisers, Susie Eastwood said: "Breathe for Life, is a charitable cycle challenge set up to raise awareness of the rising tide of lung cancer in non smokers, especially women, and to shine a spotlight on rising air pollution in cities as a under-recognised risk factor."
The team were monitoring air pollution through small portable monitors as they cycled up the country.
Since setting off on September 21, lung cancer patients, doctors, nurses, friends and families of patients and interested public joined them for short stretches of the ride.
They are particularly keen to raise awareness in the north of the British Isles, where there appears to be little awareness.
One of the charities they are supporting wants to identify non smoking lung cancer patients across the UK as there is no NHS database.
Lung cancer in non-smokers is now the eighth biggest cancer killer in the UK.
