Two lifelong friends are taking on a gruelling 1,000-mile cycling challenge to raise money for a charity that supported one of them through a rare illness. The pair, who have played together in a classical guitar quartet for 20 years, will ride from Land's End to John O'Groats over nine days to raise funds for medical research into sarcoma.
A Friendship Forged Through Music and Adversity
Chris Stell and Mark Ashford have been friends for more than three decades, bonding over their shared passion for music. Their bond was put to the test when Mark received a devastating medical diagnosis following a misdiagnosed lump on his back. Chris regularly drove 150 miles from his home in South London to Leicestershire to take Mark to vital hospital appointments.
Now officially cancer-free, Mark is getting back on his bike with Chris by his side to give back to the organisation that guided him through his recovery. Mark was diagnosed with undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma after initially being told by medical professionals that his lump was a harmless fatty growth. It took seven months to receive a correct diagnosis, leading to three major operations and a course of radiotherapy treatment.
Preparing for the Challenge
Mark, 54, has fully healed and has been preparing for the physical challenge by training alongside Chris in the Surrey Downs and the Cotswolds. He praised his friend's unwavering support, noting that Chris witnessed his painful recovery much closer than most people in his life.
Speaking about his friend, Mark said: “He is a very special person. We have been friends since university and have been in the quartet called Vida for 20 years. We are used to spending a lot of time together and he saw my recovery a lot closer than a lot of people.” He added: “I don’t class myself as brave; I have just been doing what I’ve been told by doctors.”
Supporting Sarcoma UK's Research
The charity Sarcoma UK has provided vital community support throughout Mark's journey while funding new medical research to improve treatment options for future patients. Research teams are currently working on innovative treatments designed to trigger the body's immune system to attack cancer cells that resist standard chemotherapy.
Sarcoma UK’s research manager, Emily Williams, commented: "Undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma (UPS) is one of the most common types of soft tissue sarcoma, yet it's had almost no new treatment options in 30 years and, like Mark, many patients are initially misdiagnosed before finally getting the right answer."
She added: "We are funding Professor Pascal Meier at the Institute of Cancer Research whose work is looking at a completely new way to kill sarcoma cells that have become resistant to chemotherapy. The team is using techniques to trigger the body's own immune system to recognise and attack the cancer, almost as if it were a virus. It's exactly the kind of kinder, more effective treatment we want to see for the next person diagnosed with UPS. Mark and Chris cycling the length of the country is a brilliant reminder that every mile helps fund research like this."
The Ride and How to Support
The pair will set off on their long-distance ride at the end of the month as they continue to collect public support. They will start their ride from Land's End to John O'Groats on August 30. To find out more about the cause or to donate to the campaign, visit www.sarcoma.org.uk.
