Cyclists in 300-mile ride reach breast unit target

Twenty cyclists on a 300-mile journey have achieved their fundraising goal for a unit helping those with breast cancer, with £25,000 now raised.

The group, made up of medical staff, charity workers and breast cancer survivors, left Worcestershire Breast Unit Haven on Friday, for Brest in France.

Ahead of them finishing on Monday lunchtime, surgeon Steven Thrush had said "if we can get up to 30 [thousand pounds], that would be the amazing bit".

He said the cyclists had "climbed the equivalent of two-thirds of Everest" on their bikes, in sometimes awful conditions, leaving them tired and exhausted.

The breast surgeon admitted he had underestimated the scale of the challenge.

He added: "We've had tears, but this has been an amazing challenge and I think I can't thank all the people who've donated money towards us for the breast unit [enough]."

The cyclists, who went to France to mark 10 years since the unit opened its doors, had a £20,000 goal for the facility.

"We've had people who've gone through breast cancer on this trip and whatever we go through and the pain we go through and the difficulties, it's nothing compared to them," Thrush said.

"This is where the money goes. It's to help those people get through, get back to normality."

Asked what difference this would make for those who had been diagnosed, he said it would provide not only psychological support and complementary therapies, but also funding for staff training.

"There's so many different things, I could go on for ages. I'm just really proud of the team at the breast unit."

Speaking at about 12:35 BST after they had all arrived, the surgeon admitted he felt "really sore" and tired and that the group was "just about to open some bubbling stuff and recover".

"We're all hugging, [there have been] tears, there's relief to get off the bike," he said.

"[It's been an] unbelievable challenge, but for [an] amazing cause, so we're just all delighted."

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