Help Early Diagnosis for Skin Cancer - Dave Uttley

David Uttley is organizing this fundraiser to benefit Melanoma UK Incorporating Factor 50.

My name is David Uttley. I’m now 61 and I have stage IV metastasised melanoma cancer (skin cancer) and I’ve just climbed Mt Kilimanjaro twice (and other madcap things) to raise money for Melanoma UK

Over the last 12 years, I have been dealing with various cancer setbacks. The original cancer was diagnosed when I was 49, as a mole on my back that had turned a little “nasty”. This was surgically removed, but unfortunately, the cancer has slowly been invading inwards and more aggressively every time! 5 years ago my lymph nodes in my right armpit were removed and last year the critters caught me again- this time, the melanoma had spread to my pancreas which was removed together with my spleen.

I’ve finished 12 months of immunotherapy and have been given the news that I am “no evidence of disease“ (NED) - I have heard that quite a few times in the past and yet Melanoma just keeps coming back.

In late 2023 I took to the skies in 2 ways:-

An aerobatic Wingwalk, 4000 ft above Cirencester.
Climbing Kilimanjaro, which stands at just under 20,000 ft.

I have achieved both of those challenges, but my goal of £45,000 still remains.

Since returning from Kilimanjaro I have spent quite some time, designing my own website which houses information about Melanoma, but also information about the challenges and the training that I have undertaken. The link for my website is below:-

www.muttleymelanoma.uk

Unfortunately, my father died in April 2024 so I only had one option - to climb that incredible mountain again. I took some of my father's ashes to spread in the exact spot that I had spread my mother's in August 2023. I returned to climb the mountain in December 2024 and summited with great group of Tanzanian people on their Independence Day, December 9th

The website is designed for two main purposes:-

To raise awareness of Melanoma (especially in the UK)
To inspire other “Melanoma mates” they too, can achieve some fantastic things.

If you haven’t already done, so would you please, please consider a small donation. Since my operation in 2021, I have made this my absolute ambition.

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