Havant man who lost two brothers to cancer and whose sister was given months to live trains for charity MMA fight

James Sealy, who comes from a large family and had eight siblings, was himself diagnosed with stage four lymphoma in 2002 but was fortunate enough to survive.

Eleven years later, he lost his brother Fergus aged 63 to bowel cancer and three years after that he lost another brother, Sean, aged 54, to lung cancer.

Now, his youngest sister, Philippa McKnight, 57, has been diagnosed with stage four colon cancer and in November 2019 was told by doctors she had just five months to live.

Before the lockdown 60-year-old dad of two James, from Havant, decided to take part in a charity Ultra Mixed Martial Arts event in which participants are given eight weeks of free professional training before a showcase event in front of hundreds of spectators.

Since the outbreak however all mass gatherings have been put on hold - but that hasn't stopped James, who has been furloughed, from training.

Speaking from his home, where he has built a makeshift gym, he said: ‘I've got a small garden and I've completely turned it into a gym. I did all that training and I couldn't just stop.

‘I had a few weights and I've got quite creative - I have a makeshift bench press made out of a box and I have a curling bar.

‘Every other day I go on a five mile run and I bought myself a skipping rope. I'm in good shape - I can't wait to get back.’

James decided to take part in the event just months after finding out he would be losing his sister.

Those taking part in the Ultra events are asked to sell tickets for the show and raise at least £50 for Cancer Research UK.

Mum-of-two Philippa, who lives in Marlow, Bucks, and is a full time carer for her oldest son Alan, 28, was initially misdiagnosed with IBS and went to a number of alternative health therapy centres to try and find a cure.

Philippa also has a daughter, Sophie, 38 and lives with her partner, Stuart, 53.

When her symptoms continued to worsen despite her healthy lifestyle, she went back to the doctors and was told she had advanced stage four cancer that had spread to her spleen, lungs and other major organs.

James, who lives in North Street, Havant, and works as a senior innovation engineer for Kenwood, said: ‘I want to do it because Philippa is going through something so terrible. I want to [train hard] and suffer with her.

‘The first thing you think about when you wake up with cancer, is that you might not wake up again.

‘I haven't been able to visit Philippa since the lockdown, which has been hard, but we have been doing google hangouts with the whole family regularly which is nice.

‘She had been at home, but she was taken into hospital last week and they removed a growth from her bowel.

‘It is getting more serious and it is getting closer – but Philippa is a very strong person mentally.’

So far, Ultra events, which also hosts charity stand-up, ballroom dancing, and boxing events, has raised almost £22m for Cancer Research UK.

James continued: ‘One of the things that has been really hard is that my sister, who is really beautiful, had the option of potentially getting another two years if she had started treatment.

‘But I understand that it would have been two years of pain, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, loss of hair, loss of nails, everything. She just couldn't do that.

‘She's going to go in a dignified way. If she chose to take the other route, it would be a horrible two years.’

James said the MMA training has been hard but because he has kept relatively fit since his battle with cancer he wasn't finding it unmanageable.

On the night of the event James will step into the ring to Hustle by Van McCoy, a song he and his sister used to dance to.

He said the hardest part of the training which, before the outbreak, took place at Stubbington Sports Club has been learning and remembering the ninjutsu moves he will need in his bout.

He will also be one of the oldest competitors, with the next oldest fighter being just 35.

Jon Leonard, who runs Ultra Events, said: ‘What a fantastic effort by James, he is a credit to his family. His grit and determination to carry on with his training is inspirational.

‘I'd say to anyone who is looking to do something different after the lockdown to come and join in. It is a great opportunity to get fitter and raise some money for a really important charity.’

Anyone thinking of signing up for the next Ultra event can visit www.ultra-mma.co.uk/events/portsmouth/