Man to walk 120 miles to attend cancer check-up

James Neal wanted to raise money by walking 120 miles to attend his oncology appointment

A man from Warwickshire is undertaking a 120 mile (193km) walking challenge to help raise money for research into types of eye cancer.

James Neal, 42, is planning to walk from his home in Stockton to the Royal Liverpool Hospital, where he is due to attend an oncology appointment.

He will set off on 19 August and, walking 30 miles per day, expects to arrive on time for his check-up on 23 August.

Mr Neal was diagnosed with ocular melanoma, a rare form of cancer, in his right eye in November 2021.

The tumour was spotted during a regular sight test at his opticians.

“It was a bit of a shock really,” he said.

“It’s amazing what they can pick up just from an eye test, especially with the technology and the [retinal] photography – which is what picked mine up.”

He added: “It’s not something that’s particularly well known, it’s quite rare.”

Although the tumour was still there, it was not currently showing signs of growth, he said.

Mr Neal is hoping to raise £2,000 before he sets off for his walk, and has so far raised more than £1,500.

He said the Liverpool University Hospitals Charity, which he will donate the money to, had agreed to ringfence the cash to be spent on eye cancer research.

'Everything was a struggle'

Since recovering from treatment, Mr Neal said he had been channelling his energy into weight loss and fitness.

“I am in better shape physically and mentally now than I have ever been in my life,” he said.

He was spurred on after having Covid-19 during the pandemic, which doctors told him he might not survive due to his weight.

He said he weighed more than 30 stone at the time, but had since managed to reduce that by about two thirds.

“As part of my weight loss, I do walk a lot,” he said. “That’s been quite a major part of my weight loss from the start.

“When I was about 30 stone, everything was quite a struggle.”

He said surviving both illnesses had convinced him he had to do something to become healthier and reduce his weight.