‘Custard man’ cancer survivor set for solo Channel swim

A 53 year old Worcestershire cabinet-maker will attempt to swim solo across the Channel this weekend – his goal since surviving throat cancer four years ago.

Dave Granger from Norton, near Evesham, will tackle the swim despite the fact that due to the side effects of his treatment the salt water causes ulcers and his throat becomes unbearably sore so he cannot swallow solid food.

He is known to friends and supporters as ‘Custard man’ after completing every inch of the Tour de France 2,205 mile cycle route in 2007 fuelled by nothing more than custard and rice pudding. He rode the final straight down the Champs Elysees in Paris a year to the day since he was told he was suffering throat cancer.

Dave cycled the tour route as part of a group led by Geoff Thomas, the former England footballer but this time his epic swim will be solo.

Dave, who is married to Sandra and has two daughters and a step son, will embark on his Channel swim in just trunks, not the wetsuit some swimmers chose. He already has a personal history with the sea – last year as part of a 4 person relay team, Dave set the British and Commonwealth Record of crossing the Channel in 9 hours 11 minutes. His training schedule is punishing, with regular lengthy swims in the sea, lakes and pools to build his strength.

Dave said, “the idea for swimming the Channel came about on the ferry on the way over for the Tour de France. I looked out of the window at the sea and thought I had fancied doing this since I was a ten year old and had see the first British female swimmer do it. That moment planted the seed and after everything I went through with my treatment I just decided to go for it.”

Dave sets off on Sunday, 29th August and hopes to cross the Channel in 15 hours . He will feed every 30 minutes and will once again rely on custard and rice pudding to help him through. He is raising funds and highlighting the cause of the Birmingham based charity of which he is a trustee – Cyclists Fighting Cancer – which donates bikes , trikes and tandems to children and young people affected by cancer.

Mike Grisenthwaite, Founder of Cyclists Fighting Cancer , and a former professional rugby player and cancer survivor himself said, “Dave is inspirational to everyone who knows him. He just never gives up and believes passionately that exercise aids recovery from cancer. As far as we know no-one has ever completed the Tour de France route and swum the English Channel. He is just phenomenal and we are truly grateful for all his help in raising funds and awareness of Cyclists Fighting Cancer. We wish him the best of luck.”

If you would like to support Dave’s amazing effort please click on the Virgin Money Giving link at the homepage or alternatively send a cheque made payable to Cyclists Fighting Cancer to the office address at Regus Building, Blythe Valley Business Park, Solihull, B90 8AG

I just want to say a massive thank you for the bikes you
sent for my boys Thomas and Sam. They absolutely love them.
They were so thrilled when they saw them.
I really can’t express in words how grateful I am, since Sam
was diagnosed it has felt like the whole world has turned
upside down. He was so weak with all the chemotherapy,
it has taken ages for him to build his muscles back up, his
legs especially were very weak and up until very recently he
still found it hard to run.

The bikes have helped Sam to
get his leg muscles back as he’s always out on his and Thomas
has improved in his emotional development by being out with
Sam.

He found Sam’s illness difficult as before they were
always playing together, then suddenly Sam found it
difficult to play and Tom withdrew into himself. It is so
hard having such a young child battling such a terrible
illness.
Thanks to your charity we have had some amazing times, laughing and playing together just like it was before all of this began.
I’m rubbish uploading but I will try and get some pictures to
you so you can see for yourself just how happy you made not
just two little boys but a whole family.
Thanks again
Sue, Sam, Tom and the whole family.

Last spring we received an application from a mum in Westhoughton, Lancashire, her 6 year old son Jacob had a brain tumour. We had an assessment done and a trike was ordered.

When it came to deliver trike we got a call from mum and the physio at Manchester Childrens’ Hospital to say that Jacob had taken “a turn for the worst” and the trike was not going to be needed – gulp!

It was put on one side, a daily reminder of the issues we face on a weekly basis.  Then last friday a boy of the same age from Nottingham was assessed and needed a trike, the obvious thing to do was to finally use the trike sat gathering dust for the past 6 months – a good outcome.

I can’t explain the timing of this, but when I got home that evening I checked my answerphone and amazingly there was a message from JACOB’s mum, he had somehow managed to pull through and could he have his trike now please!

How good is that?

Best wishes

Mike G

“Just a note to say how pleased we are with Ewan’s new trike. Thanks so much. We can understand exactly what those other families you’ve helped mean when they say how good it is now they can all go out on a family bike ride. Ewan rode the trike to school the other day and was so pleased with it he wanted to go the long way home, just so he could cycle some more!”

Article by Mike Grisenthwaite in the Winter Edition on CCLG’s Contact magazine.

Contact is a free, quarterly magazine for families of children and young people with cancer. It is aimed at families with a newly diagnosed child, to those undergoing or off treatment and for bereaved families. It is also highly relevant for professionals in the field or indeed anyone with an interest in childhood cancer.

Please go to www.CCLG.org.uk to order your copy or copies for support groups etc.