Industry renowned Peter Sowerby discusses his fundraising efforts and how he’s raising awareness for Prostate Cancer
Currently fighting the battle himself, Search Acumen’s Client Relationship Manager, Peter Sowerby was diagnosed with advanced (metastatic) prostate cancer on New Year’s Eve 2015, with a PSA reading of 2961. The normal level for a man in his 40s is a mere 0.7, so you can perhaps sense that his prognosis is not great.
Undeterred by his ongoing treatment, hormone therapy, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and a daily regime of pill bottles, Peter has to date raised over £20,000 for Prostate Cancer UK (PC-UK), his aim is not only to raise considerable funds for the charity, but also and more importantly to raise awareness of prostate cancer amongst men.
Prostate cancer affects 1 in 8 white men and 1 in 4 black men – quite staggering as you will no doubt agree.
Peter is truly touched by the support and generosity that the industry and Search Acumen in particular, has given him to date. Always remaining humble yet powerful in his approach, he stuck a chord with the delegates at the recent Law Firm Services (LFS) Awards dinner, describing his efforts as “…by no means is it all about me, thanks are due to the like of Richard Mathias at LFS, Dan Montagnani, Malcolm Smith and Gary Miller at Groundsure who hosted their inaugural PC-UK Golf Day in September, and AE3Media who hosted the Mortgage Solutions British Mortgage Awards, all of whom who have put PC-UK at the focus of their fund raising activities and have allowed me the opportunity to raise awareness among friends and industry colleagues of this terrible killer of men.”
But, says Peter, “I have a considerably bigger target in mind for 2017, which I intend to raise through a number of personal challenges, and in doing so raising greater awareness of Prostate Cancer amongst “young” men like me.”
Today, Peter is upping the ante and announces the trilogy of challenges he is planning for next year. He hopes that his efforts will be met with the same great levels of support he has received this year so far.
The planned itinerary includes running the London Marathon on 23rd April 2017 (training has already commenced), a LondonParis24cycle culminating with an open water swim. In part, Peter has been spurred on by his sister’s achievements and fundraising efforts earlier in 2016, which included completing the one mile Swim Serpentine, the Great North Run and the 100km Ride London event and in doing so raised many thousands for three cancer charities, including PC-UK.
“It’ll be no mean feat to complete the three challenges, whether I have to crawl across the London Marathon finish line, use an electric bike or use tidal currents to help me float 2.5 miles in the Atlantic Ocean in Madeira in August 2017 there’s one thing for absolute certain, I am absolutely focussed on completing this mad-cap challenge!”
Peter is inviting the industry to support his fundraising activities, and for those of a cycling disposition to join him in the peleton for the LondonParis24 which is currently being planned for 10th/11th June 2017.
Peter will be joined by David Gilroy of Conscious Solutions who is also running the London Marathon in aid of Prostate Cancer – one of David’s close friends and business partner has recently been affected by prostate cancer.
“I am absolutely certain that peoples’ support will be seen in many ways, whether through personal or corporate donations, through to creating opportunities to raise awareness and fundraising at “industry” events. If you’ve got an idea or an opportunity, please get in touch with me!”
Peter is very confident that he and David and will smash the £2,000 fundraising/entry tariff for the London Marathon, but that is a small sum compared to the overall target that he has in mind for his endeavours in 2017.
“The property market in which we all operate is vast and therefore in my mind the opportunity to raise awareness of prostate cancer is considerable; I’ve got a figure in mind that I’d like to raise for PC-UK in 2017, but if through my actions and conversation I can prevent more men being diagnosed with prostate cancer then that too is another immeasurable target.”
Peter very much looks forward to your support and opportunities to engage with audiences large and small.
To make a donation to Peter’s fundraising efforts or to discuss joining the peleton or any aspect of the trilogy, please visit/contact:
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Peter-Sowerby2017trilogy
peter.sowerby@search-acumen.co.uk
@SowerbyPeter on Twitter
call on 07785 523614
“I very much look forward to your support.”
For more information on prostate Cancer visit www.prostatecanceruk.org or follow @ProstateUK #MenUnited
