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Cancer-hit Wyatts' motor marathon
A FAMILY devastated by cancer are fighting back to raise money for fellow sufferers.
A FAMILY devastated by cancer are fighting back to raise money for fellow sufferers.The Wyatts, from Dogsthorpe, Peterborough, are determined not to let the tragedies which have befallen them stifle their urge to help others, and are organising a fund-raising 24-hour bikeathon.
Tracy Wyatt (37) has been struck with non-Hodgkin lymphoma three times, while her husband, Derek (46), had to have his thyroid gland removed after developing cancer.
Mrs Wyatt, who was diagnosed in 1996, fought one of her battles against cancer while she was pregnant.
She said: “A month after I discovered I was pregnant with twins, I found a lump in my neck. The doctors wanted to keep an eye on it, but when I went for my 18-week scan, we realised one of the babies didn’t have a heartbeat.
“Because the twins were identical, I still had to carry both babies, and we looked at the pregnancy on a week-by-week basis.”
Astonishing doctors, Mrs Wyatt, of Welland Close, managed to carry the remaining twin full term, but, by this time, she had seven lumps on her neck and one under each armpit.
A week after son Thomas was born, in January 2005, the grieving parents had a funeral for their other child, who they named Stanley John Oakley Wyatt.
During the pregnancy, Mrs Wyatt also had to cope with the death of her father from cancer.
Former driving instructor John Oakley, from Yaxley, near Peterborough, helped more than 2,000 people in Peterborough to pass their test. The father of three and grandfather of four died, aged 65, just six weeks after he was first diagnosed with bone cancer in September 2004.
The 24-hour motorbike ride will start tomorrow at noon from Peterborough District Hospital, and aims to take in as many other hospitals as possible in the time.
Last month, the family headed to Long Causeway, where they were joined by bikers from Peterborough Motorcycle Club, raising funds for Macmillan cancer support and The Lymphoma Association.
Mr Wyatt said: “We love being out on the bike, so we though ‘why not raise money at the same time?’.
“These charities have helped us both a great deal, and now we can help them to help others.”
n To make a donation, or for more information about the event, visit www.r80rt.webs.com
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Saturday 11 February 2012
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