A team of healthcare professionals from Lancashire Teaching Hospitals is taking on a gruelling 140-mile cycle ride between the county's football clubs delivering 'Versus Cancer' sessions to raise awareness of the benefits of prehabilitation for people living with cancer and help raise money for the Rosemere Cancer Centre at Royal Preston Hospital.
The two-day challenge, taking place on September 16 and 17, will see around 20 cyclists travel from Barrow FC to Morecambe FC and around the Bay before heading south through Lancashire and finishing at Burnley FC's Turf Moor.
The ride has been organised to highlight the work of the Cancer Prehab training sessions for adult cancer patients with the goal of improving their health and fitness ahead of oncological care or surgery.
The programme was launched in January 2025 by the Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB) Cancer Alliance, with the community organisations from Accrington Stanley, Barrow AFC, Blackburn Rovers, Blackpool FC, Burnley FC, Fleetwood Town, Morecambe FC, and Preston North End.
Prehabilitation helps people prepare for cancer treatment by improving their physical and emotional wellbeing before treatment begins. It can include exercise, nutritional advice and support to help patients feel as fit and prepared as possible for what lies ahead, and access support in settings within their own communities.
The programme is currently supported by funding from EFL in the Community, which has enabled it to continue until December, with the team hoping to secure longer-term funding.
The challenge will take the team past the football clubs involved in the programme, and Susan Saul, Clinical Lead Physiotherapist for Prehabilitation at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals, said: "This cycle ride is a fantastic opportunity to shine a spotlight on the growing cancer prehabilitation network that has been developed across Lancashire and South Cumbria. Through our partnerships with the community organisations of the eight clubs across the region, we are helping more people access support closer to home before starting cancer treatment.
"We know that improving fitness, nutrition and overall wellbeing ahead of treatment can lead to better outcomes, including fewer complications, shorter hospital stays and a quicker recovery. The support available through these football club programmes combines physical activity with valuable social and emotional support, helping people feel more prepared for the challenges ahead.
"The ride will connect many of the clubs and communities involved in this work and celebrate the partnerships that are making a real difference to the lives of people affected by cancer across Lancashire and South Cumbria."
The cycle ride will bring together clinicians from a range of specialties, including oncology, urology, orthopaedics, radiology and gynaecology, alongside colleagues from the prehabilitation, Macmillan and cancer performance teams.
Thirteen cyclists are expected to complete the full two-day route, with eight others joining for individual stages.
The first day will begin in Barrow before taking the cyclists around Morecambe Bay to Morecambe, with the group then continuing towards Fleetwood.
On the second day, the cyclists will travel from Fleetwood through Blackpool and Preston, stopping at Rosemere Cancer Centre, before continuing to Blackburn Rovers, Accrington Stanley and eventually finishing at Burnley FC.
The team hopes the ride will also showcase the growing network of support available to people with cancer outside hospital settings.
Jeremy Ward, Consultant Upper GI and General Surgeon, added: "This is a fantastic story because it brings together so many things that matter - our staff, our patients, our communities and our football clubs.
"Prehabilitation can make a real difference to people preparing for cancer treatment, and this ride is a great way of shining a light on the work being done to make that support available closer to home.
"It's also a brilliant opportunity to showcase the people behind the service. We've got colleagues from a whole range of specialties taking part and they'll be covering some serious mileage over the two days."
There is a Just Giving page here: https://www.justgiving.com/page/rosemere-prehab-bikeride
