Police officer’s fundraising challenge after terminal cancer diagnosis

A police officer has raised more than £5,000 for charity after walking 1.5 miles a day for two weeks, despite being diagnosed with terminal cancer.

Gary Allen started the challenge on Tuesday 15 October after undergoing chemotherapy at Medway Maritime Hospital, and completed his final walk on Tuesday 29 October.

While the routes broadly took him from his home in Sittingbourne to Borden Church and back, he also completed several other walks at various locations across Kent alongside friends, family and work colleagues.

He originally set himself a target of raising £300 for Macmillan Cancer Support but ended up smashing it and raising more than £5,070 thanks to his friends, family, and colleagues, as well as strangers, donating through his JustGiving page which his 16-year-old daughter Amelie helped to promote through her Instagram account. Gary’s stepmum Marie Allen, who works for the Royal British Legion, also helped contribute to the overall funds raised by hosting coffee mornings and charity raffles at her work place.

Photo of Gary Allen with his fists held high wearing a T-shirt with the words Stand Up To Cancer on the front of it.

The 45-year-old married dad of one, who was diagnosed with cancer in April this year, said: “I had some troubling bowel symptoms a few months prior to seeing my GP and taking a stool test. After blood was found in my stools, I underwent a scan which revealed the cancer had sadly spread from my bowel to my liver and both of my lungs.

“Since my diagnosis I have been treated so well by the staff on Galton Day Unit at Medway Maritime Hospital where I undergo five to seven-hour long chemotherapy sessions every other week, as well as the NHS as a whole and Macmillan Cancer Support. It’s because of this that I really wanted to give something back rather than just keep taking from the systems that are there to support you in your time of need.

“I looked at various Macmillan challenges but decided that I wanted to do something off of my own back so I came up with the walking challenge. While my main driving force was giving something back, I also lost a good friend to cancer on 1 September this year so I kept him at the forefront of my mind to keep me going while I was walking.

“I’d like to say a big thank you to everyone who donated.”

Recalling the moment he was told the devastating news that the cancer had spread and could not be cured, Gary said: “It was absolutely terrifying. I was sat with my wife in a consulting room with a wonderful Macmillan nurse; so, I knew it was bad news before anyone even spoke. My world, and my wife’s world fell apart. It felt completely unreal, like a story that belonged to someone else. I was so scared, and remain so. It is the worst possible news anyone can hear. You always think things like this happen to other people.

“My treatment started in June and is ongoing. At the moment there are no operations planned, only chemotherapy. I’m told the cancer can be managed.

“The care and support from Karen Hills, Metastatic Colorectal Clinical Nurse Specialist, and Roz Coppard, Metastatic Cancer Support Worker, and all of the staff who work on Galton Day Unit at the hospital, the Macmillan Benefits Team and all of my friends, work colleagues and family have been absolutely awe-inspiring. My wife Emma and our daughter Amelie have been ever so brave, loving and supporting. They are my world.

“Some days can be incredibly hard due to the side effects of the chemotherapy and dealing with the emotions that come with cancer, and how far-reaching it is but I have never felt so loved, supported, guided and helped in all of my life and I am eternally grateful to everyone who has been so brilliant. I cannot thank them all enough.

“To anyone else going through cancer, I’d say try to find the positives in every day. You are not alone and there is so much support available.”

Karen Hills, Metastatic Colorectal Clinical Nurse Specialist at Medway Maritime Hospital, said: “Gary’s bi-weekly chemotherapy treatment causes fatigue and other side effects yet despite all of this he still came up with the idea of walking 1.5 miles a day for two weeks to raise money for Macmillan which just goes to show his strength and determination.

“We are extremely proud of him and very grateful for his fundraising efforts. Thank you Gary.”

Visit the NHS website for more information about bowel cancer and the signs and symptoms.

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Dr Jaroslaw Beta, who is known to colleagues and service users as Jarek, holds baby Jarek who is named after him. Mum Lauren Davies is pictured next to them.

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