Former Transplant Patient To Tackle London2Paris
Nick Topley first took up cycling to aid his recovery from a Bone Marrow Transplant in 2012
Clinical staff from our Trials Acceleration Programme in Cardiff are preparing to take on Cure Leukaemia’s London 2 Paris cycle this June – setting from Greenwich Park in London in one weeks time!
Haematology Consultant at the University Hospital of Wales Doctor Jim Murray will be joined by best friend Nick Roach, a GP from Bridgend.
Dr Murray has been a keen cyclist for over 15 minutes, whether commuting to work or road biking across the hills of South Wales.
“That feeling of being on the bike, with fresh air in your face and a sense of independence, is second to none! However, over the last 5 years, due to a job change, a young family, and the pandemic, the opportunity to ride has been drastically reduced.”
“Preparing for L2P has been a great motivation to get back into lycra and out on the bike. I’ve wanted to do a bike challenge like L2P for a while; it was just a matter of finding the right time and occasion.”
Seeing first-hand how the funding from Cure Leukaemia is helping patients across Wales is adding fuel to Jim’s fundraising drive.
“Cure Leukaemia are a fantastic charity with a very clear focus and goals. As a Haematology department, we directly benefit from the money raised by CL, which supports clinical trials and funds trial nurses.”
“Without their support, we as a centre would not be able to provide access to many new treatments for our leukaemia patients. I know the every pound raised for CL goes to a great cause and helping support haematology centres around the UK, and I am very proud to represent Cardiff’s haematology department in this year’s L2P ride.”
Whilst Jim can count on experience from numerous sportives throughout the past 10 years, London2Paris will prove to be a step-up from his usual events.
“With just one weeks to go, the butterflies and excitement are certainly starting to set in! I think anyone who hasn’t done this ride before and says they aren’t a little nervous is lying!”
“A couple of my work colleagues from the hospital did it last year and said how fantastic it was, with the support from the ride captains being second to none. They are brilliant at calming pre-ride nerves. Yes, it will be hard work, but I see the ride as a collective effort with the aim for everyone to finish and enjoy it!”
Cycling alongside Jim will be best friend Nick Roach, who he met in university and they first took up road cycling all those years ago. Nick’s mum sadly died from Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL) over 10 years ago so raising funds for Cure Leukaemia has a very personal significance for him.
