Cancer Research UK - Cast For Life

WHY CANCER SURVIVOR MARK IS CASTING HIS NET WIDE FOR CANCER RESEARCH UK

WHEN keen angler Mark Phillips was given the devastating news that he had terminal cancer, he thought he would soon be hanging up the proverbial "gone fishing" sign for good. The prognosis seemed about as bleak as it could be - doctors gave him 12-18 months to live. But, that was back in 2002 and against all the odds, Mark, 43, is still here and still fishing.

Mark, from Stanstead, Essex has no doubt the treatment he was given saved his life, which is why he has decided to give something back by supporting Cancer Research UK's new Cast for Life fundraising campaign. Cast for Life is a new fundraising campaign 

designed specifically for anglers to fish and fundraise for the cancer project of their choice within Cancer Research UK.

The first sign that something was wrong was in 2002 when Mark began having difficulty eating and swallowing. He began to lose a lot of weight so went to see his GP. He was initially diagnosed with acid reflux and it wasn't until his fourth visit to the GP that he was finally referred to a specialist.

After numerous scans and tests Mark was stunned to be told he had stomach cancer and that it was inoperable.  Although doctors could treat his symptoms, they could not remove the cancer.

Mark said: "I asked the doctor what my prognosis was and he confirmed that it was terminal and said I had 12-18 months to live."

Mark immediately began an intensive course of chemotherapy and radiotherapy at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge, during which time he was given Cisplatin, a drug developed by Cancer Research UK.

As he was going through his difficult treatment and turmoil, the one thing that kept Mark sane was fishing.

He said: "I wanted to maintain some level of normality whilst I was having my treatment and fishing remained my one form of escape. My fishing friends used to pick me up, help me carry my gear and help me whenever I wanted to go out for a few hours fishing."

Mark surprised oncologists by responding better than expected to initial treatment. The tumour shrank by 30%, allowing surgeons to perform a potentially life-saving operation to remove the stomach, and part of his oesophagus, and spleen. Thanks to first class treatment and ongoing care, he is not only still here but clear of cancer.

Mark, who is an Operations Manager said: "I just feel extremely lucky to still be here. Although I feel let down by my GP for not recognising the symptoms sooner, the treatment I received at Addenbrookes was exceptional.

"The most important thing I learned from the whole experience was to trust what your body is telling you. If you think that something is wrong and your GP tells you it's nothing to worry about, always get a second opinion. If I hadn't of done so, I probably wouldn't be here today.

"After going through that experience and coming out of it on the other side, the sun shines every day for me now. Apart from a few changes to my lifestyle and diet I feel fit as a fiddle which is why I'm behind Cancer Research UK's new Cast for Life campaign 110%. I hope all anglers and their families and friends will support it."

There are two ways to get involved in Cast for Life - by organising your own Cast for Life fishing tournament, like Mark, or by taking part in our sponsored catch. Many keen anglers across the UK have already begun to set up tournaments. The charity hopes to raise £50,000 to fund further cutting-edge research into different types of research and help more people survive cancer. Organise a tournament of your own, or ask friends and family to sponsor you by donating £1 for every fish or pound in weight caught.

Ryan Bromley, from Cancer Research UK's My Projects team, said:  "We have been overwhelmed by the positive response we've had from the fishing community to our new Cast for Life campaign.

"We hope you other anglers will help us to raise much needed funds for Cancer Research UK and help more people like Mark beat cancer in the future.

"It's a great, relaxing initiative to be involved in so please, do something fishy for cancer!"

Cast for life is sponsored by leading tackle firms Korda and Guru who are offering fantastic prize bundles worth £500 to the first 50 tournaments registered. To find out more about the campaign and get involved:http://myprojects.cancerresearchuk.org/cast-for-life