“If you are unfortunate enough to get cancer, you’re fortunate if you get treated at the Christie”Terry O’Connor(Image: GoFundMe)

A 62-year-old man will take on a gruelling 56-mile bike ride this autumn to raise money for the Christie Hospital as a thank-you for their care during his battle with cancer.

Terry O’Connor has lived in Brookbottom, a hamlet on the edge of the Peak District, for more than 20 years. He first visited the Christie Hospital in 2022 to have a ‘minor skin lesion’ removed.

“I was only there for a trivial treatment,” he told the Manchester Evening News. “But I saw some really inspiring stories, and tough battles.”

“But I didn’t realise then that in a few months I would be back there myself as a patient.”

Terry was diagnosed with leukaemia in March 2023 and would go on to spend a 14-week stint living at the Christie as he underwent chemo and a stem cell transfusion.

“As a hospital, they are pretty remarkable,” he said. “You are just surrounded by unbelievable people.

“It was a really difficult time but it was also very touching, the way you are looked after.”

Terry has now completed his treatment, and two years on, his leukaemia has not returned, but he still has to go in for regular tests at the Christie.

But it was picking up the autobiography of Sir Chris Hoy – who revealed his terminal cancer diagnosis in February 2024 – that got him thinking about how he could ‘give back’ to the hospital.

“Rumour started to spread that Chris Hoy would do his own fundraiser,” said Terry. “So I thought if he did, I would put my hat in the ring.”

Sure enough, in February this year the six-time gold medallist announced the launch of Tour de Four, a charity bike event in Glasgow aiming to “shine a spotlight on what a Stage 4 cancer diagnosis can look like” and “demonstrate that it is possible to live well and lead a happy life” alongside the diagnosis.

There are four different routes of varying difficulty – and Terry, a seasoned mountain biker, has chosen the hardest, a 56-mile, 3300ft elevation ride on the roads north of Glasgow.

“I’m a keen cyclist, but I haven’t done road racing before,” he said. “So I think it will be a really different challenge. But I’m confident that I can do it.”

“Chris Hoy is such an inspiring man, with everything he has had thrown at him,” he continued. “I don’t know where I am in my own journey – maybe one day I can get my life back.

“But I wanted to give back to the Christie and I thought this was a good way to do so. I just wanted to do anything I could to help.”

“It’s such an inspiring place when you see what people are tackling. It’s an extraordinary place with extraordinary people.

“If you are unfortunate enough to get cancer, you’re fortunate if you get treated there.”

Anyone wishing to donate to Terry’s fundraiser can do so here.