54North Homes colleague Dan sets sights on 90KM cycling challenge

Dan Pash, Asset Sustainability Manager at 54North Homes, and five friends have set themselves a challenge of cycling 90KM in one day to raise awareness and money for prostate cancer.

The group of experienced cyclists will take on the tough challenge in Scotland this September as part of the Tour de 4 event, which was launched by Sir Chris Hoy following his diagnosis with Stage 4 cancer.

The charity is also close to one of Dan’s friends and fellow cyclist who was diagnosed with prostate cancer in November 2022. Although he is a fit athlete, his friend checked in with his doctor after feeling a period of persistent lower back pain that worsened while sitting.
Not thinking anything of it, his doctor referred him for a scan and was diagnosed. He started chemotherapy treatment in January 2023 and thankfully, managed to catch it in time without relying on surgery and the treatment helped to reduce the cancer from spreading.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK, with about 1 in 8 men being diagnosed in their lifetime. It was Prostate Cancer Awareness Month in March so the friends wanted to do something to raise awareness and funds for this vital charity.

The cycle ride will take place in Glasgow on 7 September and will start and finish at the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome. The team of six will cycle 56.2 miles and the route will take in breathtaking scenery on open roads, but also climbing 3,269ft of elevation.

Dan needs to raise a minimum of £200 to participate in the challenge and has set up his own Go Fund Me page to generate donations. He has already raised £140 so is well on the way to achieving his target, but any additional money raised will be handed to the charity.

We know times are tough at the moment and a lot of people don’t have spare funds however, if you would like to make a donation to help him reach his target, no matter how big or small, you can visit Dan’s page at https://gofund.me/edb5cdf6

Dan said: “This all came as a shock to us when we found out. It was completely out of the blue that he was diagnosed and it’s a good job he went to see his doctor when he did and receive the treatment to prevent it from spreading.

“Following Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, we wanted to set ourselves a challenge and linking in with our passion for cycling and the launch of Sir Chris Hoy’s Tour de 4 event, it seemed perfect for us to join and help raise awareness and funds for this charity. It’s going to be tough and I’m sure the Yorkshire roads will prepare us for what lies ahead. We are looking forward to the challenge.”

Dan and the team can be seen regularly cycling the roads around Yorkshire at weekends. Training for the challenge has already started and they have cycled 56KM-90KM routes so they are very capable of successfully completing this challenge.

To help raise awareness of prostate cancer amongst male colleagues and 54North Homes customers, we’ll be sharing information on Dan and the team’s progress in the lead up to the challenge in September. We will be looking to increase awareness about the signs, symptoms, and risk factors of prostate cancer, as well as provide support for men and their families affected by the disease.

In Dan’s friends case, early detection can significantly improve treatment outcomes so if you are unsure or would like advice, please book an appointment to see your doctor.