A man is to cycle from Carlisle to the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle to raise money for the Newcastle hospital charity.

Stephen Mark Graham was rushed to the Cumberland Infirmary in 2017 with a severe pain in his back.

The doctors sent him for a CT scan as they were looking for kidney stones, but instead found a black mass on the side of Stephen’s back near one of his lymph nodes.

After more tests and CT scans, Stephen was diagnosed with testicular germ cell cancer, which had spread from one of his testicles into his lymph nodes and his shoulder.

Stephen was then sent for a round of intense chemotherapy at the Freeman Hospital.

“There were many bumps along the road - and I'm not talking about the A69!” said Stephen.

“The side effects were horrific. After the second week when it really started to kick in.

From constant tiredness, hair loss, tinnitus, tingling sensations on toes and fingers, sickness after eating, and losing around three stone of weight.

“This cancer had been growing for four years before it was found and was caught just in time before it could have spread and possibly become less treatable.

“So, here I am, still going for tests now each year for bloods, CT and X-ray scans, and I owe it to that hospital, for had I not been for their treatment, care and attention, I may not be here to see 40.”

In April next year, Stephen is planning cycle to the Freeman on his 40th birthday.

This date is particularly poignant at Stephen’s mother, Valerie Graham passed away aged 39 with a brain tumour.

Valerie was diagnosed with a brain tumour when she was 32, the same age as Stephen was diagnosed with his cancer. She died aged 39 in 1995.

News and Star: Stephen being held by his mum, Valerie in 1985Stephen being held by his mum, Valerie in 1985 (Image: Supplied)“It wasn’t the same cancer,” said Stephen, but we were both diagnosed at 32 so when I realised that, I was thinking ‘am I going down this same route here?’

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“My cancer could have been untreatable, I might not even be here today, so the reason why I'm doing this is because I owe everything to the Freeman.

“If it hadn't been for them picking up on it as quick as they were, and sending me over there to do the chemotherapy, I wouldn't be 40.”

Anybody wishing to donate can do so via Stephen’s Just Giving page.