Friends Oran Hughes (22) and Matthew Dixon (23) created the initiative alongside Matthew’s brothers, Shane (21) and Stephen (28), after both of their families were affected by cancer. Oran’s father, Peter, was recently given a terminal diagnosis, while Matthew’s father, Martin received care as an inpatient at Foyle Hospice, before he died in January of this year.
Through their initiative, all four men will take on a series of extreme endurance challenges with the hope of raising £10,000 for Foyle Hospice, while also encouraging others to channel difficult experiences into something positive.

The month of May will kick-start the fundraising efforts as Matthew and his brother Shane will run a Marathon in Switzerland, while Oran will take on Norn Iron 100, an incredible 108-mile Ultramarathon across Northern Ireland, and Stephen will be competing in ATHX in Dublin. Additionally, Oran and Matthew are preparing to take on an Ironman.
The group are being supported in their training by local endurance athlete Danny Quigley, who is helping them prepare for the physical and mental challenges ahead.

Matthew understands first-hand how important the support of Foyle Hospice can be, something he says made a huge difference to their family during an incredibly difficult time.

“My dad was very well looked after,” Matthew said. “The staff went out of their way not just for him, but for all of us as a family. We were able to stay together and the Hospice even provided an apartment for us. It became like a second home during those months. Everyone was so kind and caring — even small things like offering tea or coffee meant so much.”

Martin, who worked as a taxi driver with City Cabs for 33 years, was well known across the community and remembered fondly by many.
Before Martin’s death, Matthew recalled how he promised his father he would take on a fundraiser saying: “When my dad was dying, I told him I wanted to raise money for the Hospice and he told me he would be very proud.
“Losing my dad has affected me and my family every day, but I wanted to do something positive from it and these fundraising challenges will make that happen.”

He continued: “It’s crazy how many people have been affected by cancer and how many families have been helped by the Hospice. Our upcoming fundraiser isn’t really about us. It’s about everyone who has been affected by cancer and showing that even when you feel powerless, you can still do something to help.”

Meanwhile, for Oran, the motivation is deeply personal, after his father, Peter, was recently diagnosed with terminal cancer. Throughout his career, Peter devoted much of his life to caring for others — something that has greatly inspired Oran’s determination to now give back and help others in return. A former District Charge Nurse, Peter has served within the Western Trust since 1999, working across Strabane, Eglinton and Limavady, including 15 years at Waterside Health Centre. While Oran has previously completed Ultramarathons, with his longest distance to date being over 60 miles, he admits the Norn Iron 100 challenge will push him further than ever before.

“I’ve always enjoyed running, but this is about much more than that,” Oran said. “When someone you love has cancer, you can feel powerless and vulnerable because there’s nothing you can do to change it. We realised that the one thing we could do was try to raise money and awareness to help other families going through the same thing.”

Matthew’s brother, Stephen expressed his gratitude to Foyle Hospice saying: “I am doing this for Foyle hospice as they were amazing in the care they gave my dad in his last few months and they offered amazing support for our family in the heartbreaking time that we had. Dr Karen in particular was so helpful and paid attention to our needs as well, which I was extremely grateful for.”

Shane recalled the care his father received saying: “Our father was a very charitable man who had spent his last month and a half in Foyle hospice and we would like to do him very proud – he was extremely grateful for the amazing people at the Hospice.”

The efforts of these four young men highlight the growing role of young people in supporting local charities, using sport and endurance challenges to make a real difference within their community.

Anyone wishing to support the group’s fundraising efforts can donate by visiting: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/endurance-against-cancer?utm_medium=CF&utm_source=CL and follow their progress as they continue their journey through Endurance Against Cancer, helping Foyle Hospice continue providing vital care and support to families across the North West.