Sunderland soldier David’s memory march to Stand Up to Cancer

Sunderland Soldier David Ansell is hitting the road in memory of his dad.

David, a Regimental Training Warrant Officer with The Queen’s Own Yeomanry reservists, is backing the Cancer Research UK and Channel 4's Stand Up To Cancer campaign by walking 10 miles per day for 1,000 days- or two years, eight months, three weeks and five days- for the charity.

He is already five million steps and for nearly 300 days into the campaign.

David became known for his first charity challenge back in 2021, which saw him raise nearly £20,000 by completing a half marathon every day for a year, began this latest fundraiser on January 4 and is aiming to finish on September 30, 2025, by which time he will have covered 10,000 miles.

He has been inspired by his father David, who died of lung cancer just two weeks into his first challenge, as well as work colleague and friend Lance Corporal Dean ‘Deano’ Ashworth, who died of oesophageal cancer at just 31-years-old, and family friend Chloe Pescod.

David is based at Fenham Barracks in Newcastle and can be seen regularly walking between the two cities: “It was devastating when my dad was diagnosed with cancer and to lose him so quickly was nothing we could prepare for," he said.

"To then see Deano face his own battle with cancer at such a young age was sobering.“That’s why I have been so committed to doing my best to support Cancer Research UK and help other families. I hope I can inspire people to make a difference and become a part of the solution to this devastating disease.”

Since setting off on his daily hike, David has taken 5,278,876 steps over 613 hours and 39 minutes and has burned 614,335 calories – leading to him shed three stone so far.

"People stop me all the time to ask what I’m doing," he said.

"When I tell them it’s for 1,000 days, they don’t usually realise that means more than two-and-a-half years.

"The support has been great and I hope to raise a lot more money over the months. But people can also get busy doing their own fundraising challenge. It doesn’t have to be something as big as mine, but we can all do something."

David hopes his fundraising and walking will inspire people to stand together against the disease by raising money to help make the next cancer breakthrough happen.

He is calling on gym bunnies and sofa surfers alike to flex their fundraising muscles by getting sponsored to do 100 squats every day throughout November.

Participants can adapt the challenge to suit their fitness level and complete their squats anytime, anywhere – all at once or throughout the day. By the end of the 30 days, they will have clocked-up a total of 3,000 squats to help power life-saving research.  

Alternatively, less energetic folk can choose to donate, raise money in their own way, or pick from a host of fun-filled ideas with a free fundraising pack available online for inspiration and support.  

With around 19,500 people diagnosed with cancer every year in the North East, the need to make faster advances is clear.  

Stand Up To Cancer takes developments from the lab and accelerates them into new tests and treatments that could help save the lives of more people.  

David, who was a regional fundraiser of the year finalist for the Pride of Britain awards, said: “Thanks to research many people diagnosed with cancer are still standing and can look forward to a future full of special moments with loved ones.

"Cancer can affect anyone’s life, at any time, so we really have no choice other than to unite against it and help support the scientists to keep making new discoveries. Now is the moment for everyone to Stand Up To Cancer."

Stand Up To Cancer is helping to transform the landscape of cancer therapy. Since its launch in 2012, the campaign has raised more than £93million, funding 64 clinical trials and research projects involving more than 13,000 cancer patients.

Cancer Research UK spokesperson for the North East, Lisa Millett, said: "What David continues to achieve is phenomenal. To have kept going every day no matter what the weather or the aches and pains. He really is an inspiration.

"Thanks to supporters like David, our researchers are working tirelessly to help more people survive - from developing a molecule to super-charge the immune system to attack tumours, to re-programming viruses to seek and destroy cancer cells. 

"But we must go further and faster. One-in-two of us will get cancer in our lifetime. All of us can help beat it. That’s why we’re asking everyone to Stand Up To Cancer with us.

"Whether it’s choosing to donate, fundraise, or tackle the ups and downs of our squats challenge, if thousands of us take a stand we’ll speed up the progress of vital research – meaning more people live longer, better lives, free from the fear of cancer."

The Stand Up To Cancer campaign will continue throughout October, with a collection of special programming airing on Channel 4 later in the month and culminating in a night of live television on Friday, November 3.