Marathon Man Rob Goes the Distance for FOCUS
02/04/2008
Marathon runner Rob Lynch was prepared to go the distance to thank hospital staff who helped him overcome cancer almost 14 years ago.
The 36-year-old fabrications specialist signed up to run the London Marathon on April 13 to raise money for FOCUS – the Fund for Oncology Users and Supporters in Gloucestershire.
He says the 26-mile run was his way of saying thank you to staff at Cheltenham General Hospital who helped him keep his studies on an even keel while he was fighting cancer.
Rob was 19 and in his final year of a mechanical and manufacturing HND at Gloscat when he was first diagnosed with Hodgkins Disease.
Despite having to undergo nine months of chemotherapy, including a session on his 20th birthday, Rob sat all of his final exams and received a distinction.
The cancer struck again in November 1993 during Rob’s final year studying for a mechanical engineering honours degree at Coventry University.
"I was originally told to stop my degree and started intensive chemotherapy, however, being determined, I said I wanted to continue with my degree,” said Rob, who lives in Cheltenham and works for High Tech Fabrications in Gloucester.
"After talking to my oncology consultant Dr Sean Elyan I was told to continue as long as I felt fit. I wanted to have something to work towards and concentrate on during the treatment.“I started chemotherapy again and was told the following April that I needed one month to recuperate before starting a month of radiotherapy. Being my usual stubborn self, however, I said that was no good as this would interfere with my finals and I managed to secure two weeks clear of any treatment before my exams. I went on to be awarded a first class honours degree.”
Combining studies with radiotherapy treatments proved to be good endurance training for a future running career. While I was receiving radiotherapy I would start the morning with a morning lecture and then drive from Coventry to Cheltenham for treatment before returning to Coventry for an afternoon lecture,” said Rob. "On the way back to Coventry I had to try to stop my armpits from sticking together since they were raw from the radiotherapy.”
Rob has been trying to get a place in the London Marathon for the last four years and was delighted to have succeeded this year.
“I’ve now been clear for 12 years and I wanted to try and give something back to the oncology department after having received so much from them,” he said.
"Supporting the FOCUS Fund is my way of thanking the staff in Clinical Oncology, Radiotherapy, the Lilleybrook Ward and Dr Elyan.”
To sponsor Rob send an e-mail to rob.lynch@hightechfabrications.co.uk
For more information please contact Susan Bradley, Communications Specialist on 08454 223120 or email susan.bradley@glos.nhs.uk
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