Port Solent gunner determined to raise thousands for lymphoma charity set for London Marathon just weeks after 65-mile trek from Thorney Island to Poole

Simon Fitzakerley, 39, is preparing to take on the London Marathon this Sunday - only two weeks after completing a fundraising 65-mile Tactical Advance to Battle, all while carrying 35kg of equipment on his back.

His aim is to raise money and awareness for Lymphoma Action, as he says ‘it’s not a common cancer many people know about’.

Simon’s 68-year-old mum, Cheryll Hall, has non-Hodgkins lymphoma.

He said: ‘We nearly lost her in July but she is a lot better now. I thought, ‘what can I do to boost up my fundraising?’.

‘I came up with the TAB to get that exposure and raise awareness, it’s been my side hustle.

‘The 35kg is what we go to battle with, and cancer is also a battle.’

A ‘TAB’ is a military exercise in which soldiers carry heavy kit and equipment over long distances.

From September 15 to 18, Simon tabbed from his barracks on Thorney Island to Cheryll’s home in Poole, sleeping under the stars at night - a challenge that he said was a ‘great experience and very humbling’.

He added: ‘Mum’s so proud of me, she was amazed that I did the TAB. I think she was a bit shocked when I told her what I was doing.’

On his route, Simon was stopped by Nicky Herring near her Stubbington home.

He said: ‘A lot of people spoke to me, I met a lot of Armed Forces. It was nice to hear people’s stories.

‘I was coming round near where Nicky lives in Stubbington. She was intrigued by what I was doing and we bonded from that.’

Nicky went into hospital in March last year after being diagnosed with stage four Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

She said: ‘I had never heard of lymphoma before.

‘After I was diagnosed I spent six weeks in hospital on the oncology ward. I was told if I didn’t have the treatment I had about four weeks left. The prognosis wasn’t good.

‘I had rigorous chemo and I went into remission after two cycles but I had to finish the four cycles.

‘I was treated at QA by Dr Ayto - he was phenomenal and literally saved my life. They have been fantastic.’

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Battling sepsis, pneumonia, and Covid as well as cancer, Nicky is now getting back to feeling fighting fit - and is now on a new mission.

She said: ‘I saw the lymphoma sign on Simon and straight away, I was like ‘oh my god’ because you don’t see a lot about it - there’s not a lot of awareness out there.

‘I’m now fit enough to start helping raise awareness. I always promised myself that when I got out of the darkest part I would raise awareness of lymphoma, or at least help others to do that.’

Simon thanked his regiment, the 16th Regiment Royal Artillery, for all their support, and said he was surprised at the generosity of strangers he met on his TAB - which raised an ‘absolutely incredible’ extra £500 towards his £2,200 fundraising goal.

There is still another £500 to go before hitting the target - visit justgiving.com/fundraising/fitz0971.