Sunderland dad diagnosed with incurable cancer after…

Sunderland dad diagnosed with incurable cancer after feeling tired set to take on 32-mile charity walk in Newcastle strip

A Sunderland dad battling incurable cancer is set to defy the disease when he takes on a mammoth charity challenge this weekend.

Chris Johnson, from Barnes, was diagnosed with a rare type of cancer known as a Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumour (GIST) in 2019, after suffering from extreme tiredness. The dad-of-three put his lack of energy down to his busy work and family life and simply increased his caffeine intake to get him through the day.

But when his fatigue persisted, Chris turned to his GP and underwent tests which found he had a tumour in his small bowel. The 43-year-old underwent an operation to remove it but in 2020 he discovered the cancer had spread to his liver.

Chris then received the devastating diagnosis that he had secondary liver cancer which was incurable.

Chris, who is now receiving immunotherapy treatment, told Chronicle Live that he is determined to make the most of every second he has left with his wife, Lisa, and their three children, Luke, 10, Molly, nine, and Nancy, six.

The former surveyor has also pledged to raise as much as he can for the charity, Children With Cancer UK. He completed the London Marathon in 2021 and last year completed both the Manchester Marathon and Three Peaks to raise an incredible £23,000.

Chris Johnson with wife Lucy Johnson. (Chris Johnson with wife Lucy Johnson.)

Chris is now gearing up to take on his latest charity challenge on Sunday, April, 30, which will see him walk 32 miles from Middlesbrough's Riverside Stadium to Sunderland's Stadium of Light. He will set off at 6am with pals, Simon Foster, 51, and Chris Belfield, 43, with the trio hoping to reach their destination by 6pm.

And that's not all as Chris, who is an avid Sunderland fan, will even be wearing a Newcastle United shirt in order to raise further funds from supporters.

He said: "In June I will be walking Hadrian's Wall across four days, so initially this meant to be a practice walk, but I just thought if I am going to be walking 20 to 30 miles I might as well fundraise for it. A couple of friends and I decided to walk from the Riverside Stadium to the Stadium of Light.

"Then I thought, 'How am I going to boost the fundraising?' So I just put on Twitter that I would do it in a Newcastle shirt if I got 3,000 likes and posted the fundraising link so along with that came an increase in donations.

"I can't say I'm looking forward to wearing a Newcastle top all day but it is for a good cause!

"Fans of all three teams have been a great support. Despite the rivalries, we have all got a sense of humour and all want to do our best for good causes."

On his reasons for supporting the charity, Chris continued: "I am a 43-year-old man going through cancer and I know how tough it is, but I have had my life and done most of the things I ever wanted to do, so I can cope with it. I can't imagine what it must be like to go through if you are a four-year-old child or for the family of a child."

Chris also hopes his story will raise awareness of the importance of seeing a doctor if you have any concerns about your health.

"Far too often people tend to ignore symptoms or brush them off," he said.

"If you ever think something is wrong don't hesitate to get it checked out."

To donate to Chris' fundraising page visit: https://justgiving.com/fundraising/gotthegistofit

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