Philip taking to sky for charity
A 69-year-old cancer patient is getting ready to make his skydiving debut in aid of charity.
Philip Moon from St Annes is hoping to raise £2,000 for MacMillan Cancer Support after being treated for bowel and bladder cancer at the Christie Hospital in Manchester within the last year.
The cancer treatment, which has included surgery as well as chemotherapy, has left the retired advertising executive with both bladder and bowel stomas and, as well as fund-raising, he wants to show that such changes to regular routine need not be an obstacle to living life as normally as possible.
"I’m so grateful for the treatment and I just want to give something back,” said Philip. “I also want to show that a stoma – or stomas in my case – don’t have to stop you doing what you want to do. There are thousands of people with them and I hope my story helps them live with them.”
Philip’s cancer journey started when he had a kidney stone problem and his hospital specialist advised that he had an operation to remove it as a matter of urgency just as he was about to go on holiday.
In preparation for that, he had a colonoscopy and the cancer was found as a thickening of the colon.
During an operation to remove that, doctors found the cancer had spread to the edge of his bladder and that was removed, leaving Philip with stomas for both his poo and his urine.
There is still a chance that his normal bowel function can be restored and that stoma reversed and his is due to consult doctors later next month about the next steps.
But ahead of that, is is all systems for his debut skydive, which takes place at the Black Knights Centre at Cockerham, near Lancaster, on October 18.
By the start of this week, pledged donations in support had topped £1, 600 and Philip is hopeful he will reach his £2,000 target.
"I’m looking forward to it,” he said. “I just want to show what can be done, even in such circumstances.
"I’m determined to live life as normally as possible and I’m happy to chat to people who might in a similar situation to help them through it.”
Donations to Philip’s skydiving fundraiser can be made at www.justgiving.com/page/philip-moon-1 and he can be contacted at [email protected]