A bunch of fundraisers have somehow managed to raise almost £27,000 for charity in memory of a much-loved Lymm rugby player by finishing a 260-mile bike ride.
Liam O’Callaghan became part of Lymm RFC when he was only 15, and later on, he played for Lancashire and Cheshire.
He kept playing for about 30 years and barely missed a game until he decided to retire at the ripe age of 45.
In 2018, without any symptoms, Liam got hit with a stage four prostate cancer diagnosis.
It was because of some back pain that Liam found out about his cancer, which had already spread to his spine, hips, and thighs. Sadly, he passed away in January last year, when he was 60 years old.
To honor his memory, a fundraising bike ride was organized by former Lymm players and Liam’s friends.
Some of the riders included Neil Fairbrother, a former Lancashire and England cricketer, and Mike Wernham, a former Warrington Wolves player.
The gang decided to pedal 250 miles from Lymm to Limerick in memory of Liam, who was a big fan of Munster Rugby and would often travel to Limerick to catch the team in action.
Together, the riders raised money for Prostate Cancer UK and The Graham Fulford Charitable Trust.
They set off from Lymm RFC and made their way to Holyhead on day one, which took them eight hours and 29 minutes.
They braved through wet and windy conditions on day two and had to deal with several punctures.
But their determination stayed strong, and they finally made it to Limerick after completing 260 grueling miles.
In total, the group somehow managed to raise nearly £27,000 for charity in Liam’s memory to help fund crucial research into prostate cancer.
“A massive thank you to everyone who has donated, supported, and taken part in the bike ride,” said Jaye, Liam’s wife.
“We are incredibly proud of this amazing group of friends and family who have tackled an epic challenge in memory of Liam.
“Their determination has helped us raise a huge amount for Prostate Cancer UK and the Graham Fulford Trust, and we hope the support keeps coming.
“Our biggest wish would be for the money to not only fund more research and treatments but to also help in the push for a national screening program that could save and prolong many lives.”
