Nathan is back in the saddle to raise funds for Cancer charity

Nathan Grove, who lives in Letham, will participate in the Cancer Research UK Etape Caledonia, which will take place in Highland Perthshire on May 11, to raise money for title partner Cancer Research UK.

Nathan announced his involvement to highlight Bowel cancer awareness month, which is observed every April and aims to highlight the fourth most common cancer in the UK.

It highlights the importance of detecting bowel cancer early when treatment is more likely to be successful.

Originally from Tain, Nathan served with the RAF both in the UK and abroad for 26 years. He was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2020 at the age of 41. Since then, he has had radiotherapy, two rounds of chemotherapy and two surgeries to treat the cancer.

Even before his diagnosis Nathan was an endurance event enthusiast and, over the years, raised nearly £13,000 for Cancer Research UK, cycling hundreds of miles before and after treatment.

This year he will take on the 55-mile route at the Cancer Research UK Etape Caledonia to raise further funds in memory of his father who survived prostate cancer but subsequently died from a brain tumour and lung cancer.

Nathan said: “I wouldn’t let cancer stop me from living my life to the fullest. Cycling has helped me regain my strength, gave me focus during my recovery and reminded me that every challenge can be overcome.

"By taking part in the Cancer Research UK Etape Caledonia, I want to raise money to support Cancer Research UK’s invaluable research that goes on in the background to try and come up with novel techniques to treat this disease and, hopefully one day, beat it. It’s got to be the way ahead. We can’t just keep letting cancer win.

“My Dad had prostate cancer in the late 2000s and I lost him last year through a brain tumour and lung cancer, so the charity's very close to our heart.”

For almost two decades, Etape Caledonia has attracted over 40,000 cyclists from around the world ranging from teenagerss to octogenarians.

Renowned for its stunning closed-road routes, the event offers three distance options: 40-miles, 55-miles and 85-miles. These are ideal for both experienced cyclists, first time sportive riders or those looking for a personal challenge.

This year, Cancer Research UK Etape Caledonia will be expecting around 5000 riders to arrive in Pitlochry on May 11.

Jo Dytch, event director, said: "Cancer Research UK Etape Caledonia is more than just a cycling event – it’s about personal triumphs, overcoming challenges and coming together as a community. Nathan’s story embodies everything this event stands for, and we hope it inspires more people to sign up and be part of something truly special.”

Nathan’s fundraising page can be found at: Nathan’s CRUK Fundraiser.

Cyclists can now register for Cancer Research UK Etape Caledonia 2025 at www.etapecaledonia.com.