Last year, I could not ride a bike. This year I am riding 5 miles in memory of Paul who died of bowel cancer in January 2021. Even though he is no longer with us, Paul has helped me to get closer to the person who I want to be.

Ecology sees our world as an ever-changing web of energy and matter. Patterns appear and disappear. Life grows and dies. We look at our world through lenses, each lens illuminates an aspect of the whole. These notes, inspired by the I Ching, look at a selection of contrasting ideas which can help us to act mindfully in our world.

Individual 

My friend Paul died of bowel cancer in January. We were friends when I worked in bar in Ilfracombe but had drifted apart since I moved to Lundy. We met occasionally at his business, Tarka Trail Cycle Hire in Barnstaple, when my wife and I were waiting for a train. Paul had a great energy and enthusiasm which he was always willing to share with people, either when he was working as a teacher or when running the cycle hire business. I was stunned when I heard that he’d died, he always seemed so fit, so alive.  

Population 

In February, BBC Spotlight had an item about The Bike Network in Plymouth. Adam was diagnosed with stage 3 bowel cancer in 2017. During his treatment he needed to lose weight to increase his chances of a successful recovery. Adam bought a second-hand bike from eBay and lost 14 pounds. After he recovered, he set up The Bike Network to provide bicycles for patients and their families. His message is that ‘cycling doesn’t only benefit the body; it allows time to digest and think over what is happening. Whether that is during diagnosis, treatment or after the all clear when you’re anxiously awaiting news from a follow up with a consultant or scan’. 

Population and Individual 

Adam’s story upset me. Why had Paul died and Adam survived? If cycling could save lives, why should an active cyclist die? This is our tragedy and our blessing – that we are all unique, yet we can all help each other. How many lives did Paul affect over his years on this planet? How many people are healthier because he made it easier for them to cycle from Barnstaple? 

Bowel cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the UK and the second biggest cancer killer. Nearly everyone survives bowel cancer if diagnosed at the earliest stage. However, this drops significantly as the disease develops. Early diagnosis really does save lives.  

On June 19th, I'm doing a charity bike ride for Bowel Cancer UK to remember Paul. I’ll hire a bike from Tarka Trail Cycle Hire, which is now run by Paul’s nephew. I don’t know how far I’ll ride as I only learnt to ride a bicycle last year (a lockdown challenge from my step-daughter Rachel). I’ll ride to Fremington and back, then see if I can go further. 

 

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/cycling-for-paul 


This article was published on page 26 in issue #72 of ReConnect Magazine

http://reconnectonline.co.uk/back-issues/ 

 

Photo of Paul from https://www.instagram.com/p/B24J06NAyqH/ 

 

Last year, I could not ride a bike. This year I am riding 5 miles in memory of Paul who died of bowel cancer in January 2021. Even though he is no longer with us, Paul has helped me to get closer to the person who I want to be. 

 

 

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