A £5,000 journey of hope for father-to-be

CYCLE challenge . . . Marcel (right) and neighbour Neil

AN OLDHAM businessman will take on a 600-mile cycle to raise money for a dad-to-be with grade III cancer.

Marcel Duffy (40) was so affected by his friend's "devastating" news that he pledged to take on the ambitious route through the Pyrenees.

He hopes to raise £5,000 for neighbour Neil Taylor (32), who was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumour and given between five and 20 years to live. The news comes as he and wife Alex, who he married last year, await the arrival of their first-born baby girl in August.

Neil, who wants to raise awareness, said: "The funding for brain cancer is only 1 per cent of the UK's budget and yet brain tumours continue to kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer.

"My only symptom was a seizure. People are astonished by this but I want to highlight that there are no set symptoms."

Operations and hospital visits for radiotherapy have also prevented Neil from working. His success as McDonald's area supervisor last year won him the Ray Kroc award, which is handed out to the top one per cent of McDonald's restaurant managers across the world.

General manager of Oldham-based Direct Home Living, Marcel said: "I can see what Neil has still got ahead of him. It was only six weeks ago they came to my house really excited about expecting their first child.

"He is a very positive person and hearing his news was devastating. It really made me sit up and take stock of things."

Marcel, of Marquess Way, Middleton, is in training for his four-day cycle from Montpellier in southern France to Barcelona, through the Pyrenees, in June.

The idea came from friend Kirsten Mitchell, who set up neonatal care charity Spoons to offer parent peer support, raise awareness and fundraise to improve family services.

She said: "I am overwhelmed by the challenge Marcel has taken on but not at all surprised at him wanting to do something."

Marcel has set an overall fundraising target of £10,000 and will split this equally between Spoons and Neil's cause.