Three men (two of whom have prostate cancer and one of whom is recovering from testicular cancer) that are using Maggie’s Centre at Ninewells have signed up to take part in the seventh annual Monster Bike & Hike alongside Dundee Centre Head Lesley Howells.

Eighteen months ago the four had never met. Bruce, Gordon and Alan got to know each other by attending the Men’s Group at Maggie’s Dundee. They also got to know Centre Head Lesley Howells and the four decided to sign up to take part in Maggie’s Monster Bike & Hike.

The team is set to wear the colours of Dundee United during the event after deciding they would like to wear bright colours to stand out from the crowd and something that represents the city of Dundee that brought them all together.

Alan explained; “We wouldn’t know each other if t wasn’t for the fact that we were all diagnosed with cancer around the same time. The city of Dundee is where we all met and we are all United in our efforts to raise money and awareness for Maggie’s Centres so approaching Dundee United seemed like a great idea. The football club have been extremely helpful and we are all thankful for their support and that of our families and friends.”

This week the three men attended Dundee United’s training ground at St Andrews to get some fitness tips from the team that are taking on the challenge of the SPL and preparing for the Scottish Cup Final against Ross County.

Gordon Kirk said; “It’s great that the lads have taken the time to meet us as we get set for our big challenge. It’s been a motivating day and we’re now fully charged for the event at the start of May. We’ve wished Dundee United all the best for the cup final and the team were full of encouragement for us as we get ready for our own ‘cup final’.”

The Monster Bike & Hike is Maggie’s biggest annual fundraising event, since its inception more than £3 million has been raised for Maggie’s Centres.

The team of four are planning to do the gold stage of the Monster Bike & Hike – biking 30-miles from Fort William to Fort Augustus and then hiking a further 43-miles all the way to Inverness.

Maggie’s Centres are completely dependent on fundraising and the Dundee Centre costs around £350,000 per annum to run. In 2009 the centre received 13,000 visits.

Bruce, who is using Maggie’s Dundee following a diagnosis of prostate cancer, said: “Lesley has helped the three of us face up to the challenge of living with cancer and now we’re ready to take on another challenge with her. Maggie’s Centre has been a lifesaver for me. I probably wouldn’t be here without it. The centre allows people to talk openly in a welcoming and safe environment, there are tears, but with our group we also laugh and smile. We use our sense of humour to get through some testing times. Hopefully we’ll still be able to smile after completing 73-miles!”

Gordon said: “I was diagnosed with testicular cancer 6-weeks before the birth of my daughter. Nothing can prepare you for something like that. It’s completely changed my life, I quit my job to spend time with my daughter and I’m now studying Sports Psychology. Maggie’s Centre has been amazing for me, I’ve been able to talk about what I am going through with Lesley and the other staff and meet great people like Alan and Bruce. We all help each other.”

Christian Dailly, ex-Dundee United and Scotland international and Maggie’s Dundee Patron, is lending his support to the team, saying: "Maggie's support thousands of people who are going through a major challenge in their life. I know that Alan, Bruce and Gordon have been through and are going through some challenging times after being diagnosed with cancer so for them to take on the challenge of the Monster Bike & Hike on top of that is incredible. Biking 30 miles and hiking 43 miles from Fort William to Inverness will be an unbelievable achievement and I wish them all the very best with this Monster challenge and hope that they raise lots of money for Maggie's."

To sponsor Gordon, Alan, Bruce and Lesley visit http://www.justgiving.com/Bruce-Tasker

To find out more about Maggie’s and Monster 2010 visit www.maggiescentres.org/monster

ENDS

For more media information contact Murray Easton on 0141 341 5681 or email murray.easton@maggiescentres.org

Notes to Editor:

• Over 3,700 people have taken part in Maggie’s Monster Bike and Hike to date, raising over £3 million to help Maggie’s to build and support centres across the UK

• Monster is a team event for friends, families or colleagues, with a fundraising target of £400 per person

• Maggie’s place a heavy emphasis on supporting participants in the lead up to the event, during and afterwards – mirroring the support we provide in our centres.

• Maggie’s provide a pasta party and safety briefing on Friday April 30th. Tea coffee, water, fruit, soups, sandwiches and snacks are available at each checkpoint.

• Maggie’s model of support empowers people to live with, through and beyond cancer.

• Maggie’s Centres offer a programme of practical, emotional and psychological support to people with cancer, their families, friends and carers. Maggie’s is support is free of charge and operates on a drop-in basis.

• There are currently five existing centres in Scotland – Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee, Inverness and Fife. With an interim service in Lanarkshire.

• New centres are planned for Lanarkshire; funded by Colin Montgomerie through the Elizabeth Montgomerie Foundation and a second centre in Glasgow next to the new Beatson Oncology Centre at Gartnavel.

• Maggie’s Dundee was designed by legendary architect Frank Gehry who was a friend of founder Maggie Keswick Jencks.

• Maggie’s London opened in April 2008 and further centres are planned for Oxford, Cotswolds, Nottingham, Swansea and Newcastle.