Grant Thornton team honour cancer survivor colleague with epic Scottish charity cycle challenge

Three Glasgow-based business advisors are preparing for an epic cycle challenge around Scotland to raise vital funds for a leading cancer charity.

The team of three, from Grant Thornton, will pedal a total of 360 miles over four days, taking in all of the Maggie’s Scottish Centres in Inverness, Aberdeen, Dundee, Kirkcaldy, Edinburgh, Larbert, Monklands and Glasgow.

Advisory director Stuart Preston, tax director Paula Fraser and tax manager Ross Lamont, are hoping to raise thousands of pounds for Maggie’s Centres, which provides support, information and practical advice to cancer patients throughout Scotland.

The group was inspired to take on the challenge by fellow colleague Gill Hunter, who was diagnosed with Stage 3 bowel cancer in 2013, which had spread to her lymph nodes. After spending nearly a month in hospital, mainly in the high-dependency unit, Gill endured two emergency abdominal operations and suffered peritonitis and pneumonia. Throughout her intensive treatment programme, staff from Maggie’s Centres were there to provide empathy, reassurance and a comfortable environment to aid her recovery.

Gill, who is a wealth advisory senior manager, said: “My diagnosis came as a real shock to me. I spent around a fortnight suffering what I thought was a bad case of food poisoning, then I was given the news after finally relenting and visiting the hospital. During the treatment, a nurse suggested I visit Maggie’s Centres and my first reaction was to shrug it off as I associated it with people dying with cancer. I was in a state of denial. But, as soon as I walked through the doors of the centre on the grounds of Gartnavel Hospital, I felt a huge weight lifted from my shoulders. The volunteers and staff were there to provide a shoulder to cry on as well as real practical support to get you back on your feet and look and feel better. It was a lifeline, and I couldn’t simply walk away after I was given the all-clear. I wanted to give something back to such a vital lifeline service.”

Following her treatment, Gill successfully campaigned for Maggie’s Centres to become Grant Thornton’s chosen charity in Scotland. In the last year, the firm has raised thousands of pounds through a variety of fundraising drives – from bake-sales to abseiling off the Forth Rail Bridge.

One of the three-person team taking part in the cycle challenge in August is Advisory Director, Stuart Preston. Stuart commented: “Gill’s story is truly inspirational. She’s a really valued member of our team and has motivated and encouraged us all to do our bit to raise money for the charity. Maggie’s Centres relies completely on donations from the public, so without support like this, existing and future patients would be denied the kind of help Gill benefited from. The challenge ahead will be daunting for us and we’re now desperately getting as much training in as we can before we set off on the four day tour on the 24th of August. This represents a great physical challenge and, with that comes a mixture of nerves and excitement, but we will do our absolute best, knowing that we’re helping a great cause.”

Sharon O’Loan, fundraising and development Director at Maggie’s Centres, added: “Everyone at Maggie’s has been so inspired by Gill and we’re hugely grateful to her and all our friends at Grant Thornton for their amazing fundraising. The funds they raise will enable to us to continue to support the tens of thousands of people affected by cancer who come to Maggie‘s Centres across Scotland every year seeking our help. The Cycle Challenge is really exciting. We’re really looking forward to welcoming Stuart, Paula and Ross from the Grant Thornton team as their route takes them to all eight of our Centres in Scotland – places which are calm, uplifting and inspiring spaces for everyone with cancer and their families and friends too. We wish our intrepid cyclists the very best of luck in this fantastic fundraising initiative.”

The team has already raised more than £2,500, but is hoping to hit its target of £20,000 before the challenge completes on the 27th August 2017.

The team’s Just Giving page can be visited here