In March 2024, Dave went through one of the toughest times in his life, as his beloved brother Midge passed away from bladder cancer.
Dave and Midge were incredibly close to the point of taking the same career path, with the pair serving in the military on nuclear submarines. However, following a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS) in 1999, Midge’s naval career ended abruptly in February 2001.
Over the years, Midge’s health deteriorated further as the MS affected his mobility, leaving him wheelchair dependent. In December 2022, Midge was dealt another devastating blow when he was diagnosed with bladder cancer, which was confirmed to be terminal just six months later.
Determined not to let this stop him from living his life, Midge and his wife Sheila planned a getaway to the Calvert Trust in Hexham which would accommodate Midge’s needs. This is when local charity Military vs Cancer became aware of Midge and offered their assistance with the holiday, paying for the full week away for Midge and Sheila. However, due to his deteriorating health, Midge never had the opportunity to go.
15 months after his initial diagnosis, Midge sadly lost his long and brave battle against his health issues.
In honour of Midge’s memory and to give back to the charity that had supported them, Dave will walk the historic Hadrian’s Wall over four days at the end of this month. Dave explains,
“I heard that the charity had organised a walk to raise funds, so I immediately jumped at the chance to help. They were so forthcoming with offering to pay for Midge and Sheila’s holiday; it was only natural that I try to raise funds for them in return.
They help so many serving military personnel and veterans who are going through a difficult time, just like Midge was. Me and Midge have known Dave, the charity’s founder, for many years – we both worked alongside him on the submarines.
I’m sure Midge would be proud of me for helping our fellow servicemen out.”
If you would like to support Dave’s fundraising efforts, you can do so here: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/hadrians-hero-for-military-vs-cancer
For more information on Military vs Cancer, please visit https://www.militaryvscancer.com/