Man to cycle to Kosovo for charity after dad's death

Hasan's father, Emin, died in 2019, just four weeks after being diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer

A man from Haslemere will cycle over 2,200km (1,367 miles) from Surrey to Kosovo to raise money for charity in tribute to his father who died from pancreatic cancer.

Hasan Rrahmani, who is originally from Kosovo, left the country when war broke out in 1999 and after months of displacement, the family came to the UK.

Hasan's father, Emin, lived in Hendon, but he died in 2019, aged 71, just four weeks after being diagnosed.

In November 2019, Emin felt very fatigued but he put it down to his type 2 diabetes and age, but while on a trip to Kosovo he started to feel weak and unwell.

He went to the doctors who advised him to return to England. The pain was so severe an ambulance picked him shortly after his arrival from the airport.

Scans were ordered which revealed that he had pancreatic cancer.

"That was one of the most difficult conversations," said Hasan.

"The words were just not coming out of my mouth. He was leaning forward, trying to listen intently.

"He understood it was cancer, but he didn't comprehend the severity. Telling him he had weeks left to live, it was devastating."

'Incredibly grateful'

Hasan will set off from his dad's house in Hendon on Sunday, with his neighbour and cycling partner, Gary Lloyd.

They will make their way to Portsmouth harbour before taking the ferry to France, then heading south towards Switzerland.

After crossing over the Alps and into northern Italy, they will cycle east to Ancona and board a ferry to Albania.

From there, they will ride through Macedonia before arriving in Kosovo.

The journey was likely to take 15-18 days, said Hasan.

He hopes his wife, young daughter and son can fly out to meet him at his childhood home in Pristina, where they will hold a celebration of Emin's life.

Kerry Thomas, head of public fundraising at Pancreatic Cancer UK, said: "We are incredibly grateful that Hasan is supporting us by taking on this very personal journey, to the home he was forced to leave all those years ago.

"We wish him the very best of luck."