Adventurer writes book to inspire others

Adam Jones climbed Mount Everest in 2022, taking with him photos of his wife and children to the summit

A man who used running to help with bereavement has written a book to inspire others to take on challenges in life.

Adam Jones, from Clevedon, in North Somerset, has climbed Mount Everest, completed the Marathon Des Sables - a seven-day ultramarathon across the Sahara Desert - and sea-kayaked across the Irish sea, all in the space of just 12 months.

He took on the challenges after his mother died from ovarian cancer in 2019, after living with the condition for seven years.

"Running became my therapy in that time, I think it was my way of handling the grief," he told BBC Radio Bristol's John Darvall.

Mr Jones' mother was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2012, after several misdiagnoses.

When she was finally told it was cancer, she was only given two years to live as the condition had spread.

"I think it was just before my mum's funeral, I was due to read a poem and I couldn't settle myself knowing I had that challenge, so I just started running, and that's how it began" he said.

His adventures have so far raised £12,000 for charities that support research into ovarian cancer.

Half the entrants of the Marathon Des Sables dropped out due to heat exhaustion when Adam finished his race

While climbing Mount Everest, he started writing a journal, intended for his children, about his life.

The journal has now been turned into a book, called Mindset, which tells his story and gives advice to others who wish to take on challenges.

"Doing these challenges, I learned we have massive highs as well as big lows.

"The book is the story of a bit of grief and loss, and it incorporates some adventures, and the ways I turned the negative of my mum's death into the positive of helping other women and letting other people know about the signs and symptoms," he said.

His next challenge is to row 3,000 miles alone across the Atlantic to raise a further £100,000 for Target Ovarian Cancer.

The journey will take him from the Canary Islands to Antigua and Barbuda, taking about four to six weeks.