A 23-year-old student was waved off last week by staff and patients from Papworth Hospital on a 23-day solo bike ride to Geneva and back to raise funds for research into the lung disease mesothelioma.

A 23-year-old student was waved off last week by staff and patients from Papworth Hospital on a 23-day solo bike ride to Geneva and back to raise funds for research into the lung disease mesothelioma.

Jamie Menzies, from Potton, whose father was diagnosed with the disease at Papworth in November last year, said: “Although I am reasonably fit and love the outdoors, I would not consider myself a cyclist.

“But I want to do this ride to raise as much money as I can for research into mesothelioma at Papworth Hospital and to increase public awareness of this awful disease. It is also a way of me thanking the staff at Papworth for the outstanding care that they are giving to my dad.”

Gerry Slade, mesothelioma clinical nurse specialist at Papworth said: “I really admire Jamie for taking on this challenge, not only to raise awareness of mesothelioma but also to raise funds for our continuing research. Everyone at Papworth wishes him well. Our thoughts will be with him and we will be keeping our fingers crossed that the weather is kind for him as he camps each night throughout France and Switzerland.”

INFORMATION: To donate or to read more about Jamie’s journey visit www.justgiving.com/cycle4Papworth or to sponsor Jamie via a mobile phone text BIKE08 and an amount (for example BIKE08 �5) to 70070.