London primary school teacher Nathaniel Dye (38), who is living with incurable bowel cancer, has completed his John O’Groats to Land’s End ‘bucket list’ challenge.
Diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer in October 2022, Nathaniel from Hainault in London, traversed the length of Britain, from John O’Groats in Caithness, Scotland to Land’s End in Cornwall, England.
Over 1,200 miles and 3 million steps later, covering an average distance of 20 miles a day, Nathaniel reached the Land’s End finish-line on 10th September, 60 days after setting out from John O’Groats on 13th July.
Part of his ‘Bowel Cancer Bucket List’, ultra runner Nathaniel has undertaken his epic challenge despite undergoing treatment right up until the race start and requiring colostomy bags throughout his journey.
A high-profile cancer advocate, Nathaniel came to national attention earlier this year, when he famously completed the 2024 London Marathon while playing a bright green trombone around the 26.2mile course.
Nathaniel has also been an outspoken critic on NHS waiting times for cancer patients and played a prominent role in Labour’s General Election campaign, speaking passionately at the launch of their election manifesto about the treatment delays he feels may have contributed towards his terminal diagnosis.
Nathaniel on his crossing the finish line: “I have walked, sometimes even run, all the way from John O’Groats to Land’s End in 60 days, taking over 3 million steps. Why? Because I choose to live. Because I say to the cancer that will one day kill me: “Not today! Not this week, not this month, not this year if I can help it!”. Because when I am lying in my death bed, I will be able to look on this glorious moment, put my hand on my heart and say that I have done the very best I can with the precious time I have left. Because that is what it means to be alive. That is what it means to be me.”
“I’ve had so much support along the way from friends, family and even complete strangers. From places to stay, to not letting me pay for meals and even the odd piece of cake to keep me refuelled. But most of all the encouragement along the way, sometimes accompanied by donations, has really gotten me through!
“Life becomes incredibly simple (when running), and sometimes even I forget everything that’s going on. That I’ve got cancer. I forget the world is happening out there. It’s a case of using my body while it’s still healthy. I just have this need to try hard every day, for as many days as I possibly can. People ask me this all the time: “Why are you doing this?” My body let me do this. I’m just grateful for it – and that’s a gift. I just think that if I can, I will.”
Nathaniel, who also lost his mother to bowel cancer and his fiancé to ovarian cancer, is raising money for Macmillan Cancer Support. So far, he has raised over £34,000 for the cancer charity, which could fund the specialist cancer nurses on the Macmillan Support Line to answer more than 500 queries from people affected by cancer, providing a wide range of specialist information such as how to manage side effects, treatment options, and coping with grief[i].
Alex Howe, Macmillan Relationship Fundraising Manager, said: “For so many reasons, Nathaniel is a true inspiration and we are so grateful to have his support. To date, Nathaniel has raised over £34,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support, which is a simply incredible sum that will enable to us to continue to be there for all people with cancer. As an organisation that is 98% by public donations, we are so thankful to Nat for his wonderful and crucial fundraising efforts as well as his determination to raise awareness of our vital support services”.
Other items on Nathaniel’s bowel cancer bucket list include the launch of his self-penned solo album: ‘Matters of Life and Death’ on Saturday 26th October 2024. He will be marking the event with a ‘two-year survival’ party, as well as the premiere of a documentary about the making of the album.
Nathaniel’s JustGiving page: justgiving.com/fundraising/bowelcancerbucketlist
Inspired by Nathaniel? Visit macmillan.org.uk/fundraise for more challenge event ideas.
