'Walking got me through my cancer treatment and reminded me I was getting stronger'

Having lived in Sheffield for nearly 30 years, Simon has enjoyed countless hours exploring the hills of the Peak District and walking in the green spaces of Nether Edge, a leafy suburb of Sheffield he proudly calls home.

He says: “I first came to Yorkshire to visit my sister, and I instantly fell for Nether Edge; the relaxed pace, friendly community and the amount of green space right on your doorstep. Thirty years on, I still love living here and get that same sense of satisfaction as soon as I step outdoors.”

Just before Christmas 2024, Simon noticed a lump in the side of his neck. Three weeks later, he was diagnosed with head and neck cancer. “Everything happened very quickly,” he remembers. “All I could do was hold onto the positivity my doctors had encouraged from the start.”

Simon’s treatment involved 35 rounds of radiotherapy and two rounds of chemotherapy. It made it painful and very difficult for him to swallow, requiring him to use a feeding tube for nutrition. He also experienced extreme sensitivity to flavours.

“With the treatment being in the neck area, it caused a lot of discomfort. I did the exercises they gave me to help with swallowing, but eating was still very unpleasant and food tasted horrible. I ended up losing over 20kg due to being unable to eat properly. What I also struggled with was being unable to do my usual fitness routine. During treatment, I couldn’t walk as far and lost a lot of strength, although thankfully I managed to keep up some walking.”

On the day of his diagnosis, Simon was advised that maintaining some level of physical activity would help prepare him for treatment and make it more tolerable. His cancer nurse recommended Active Together, a research-backed service, which is funded by YCR. He was given a personalised cancer exercise treatment plan, along with nutritional and wellbeing support to help him prepare for and recover from his treatment.

He says: “Ahead of treatment, I was already walking every morning and evening because I had been told how important it was to continue to do some low-impact activity. I think the Active Together team were quite shocked at how many steps I was already doing

“After treatment however, I had lost a lot of strength, especially in my upper body. The Active Together sessions really helped me build back this strength while maintaining my cardiovascular fitness. Within weeks, I was seeing a huge difference. After just two sessions, I was itching to get out again and able to start my longer walks.”

Simon is one of over 3,000 people who have been supported by Active Together, designed by researchers at Sheffield Hallam University. The scheme is underpinned by scientific evidence that shows exercise before, during and after cancer treatment can increase the chance of survival, reduce side effects from treatment, reduce complications and reduce the risk of cancer returning.

Simon currently attends checks ups every eight weeks to monitor his health. Today, he is embracing life after cancer treatment with the same positivity he carried since his diagnosis. As a classical musician who trained at the Royal Academy of Music, he has also returned to playing the French horn, the instrument he has taught and loved to play for decades. And, he can once again walk long distances in the Yorkshire countryside.

This May he is taking part in We Walk for Yorkshire, joining people across the region to walk 35,000 miles together in the month – one mile for every person told they have cancer in Yorkshire each year. “Walking got me through my cancer treatment and became a daily reminder that I was getting stronger once again, so this campaign holds a special place in my heart,” he says.

To take part in the challenge, visit https://join.yorkshirecancerresearch.org.uk/event/we-walk-for-yorkshire/home