A rockstar who's beaten cancer several times has converted an old chapel into a wellness retreat at which others battling the disease can stay for free. Mike Peters of The Alarm first fought off lymph cancer in the late '90s, only to receive the devastating news that he was suffering from chronic lymphocytic leukaemia in 2005.
Then, having survived that, the cancer returned again in 2015 - two years after which his wife Jules received her own breast cancer diagnosis. Most recently, however, Mike was hospitalised last September after relapsing with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia - which also caused the onset of life-threating pneumonia.
But now, having been given another healthy prognosis from doctors, the Prestatyn-born dad-of-two has revealed that he and Jules have converted Bethel chapel in their home village of Dyserth in Denbighshire with its "peaceful mountains and stunning beaches". With it they want to "offer people affected by cancer the opportunity to rest, relax, regroup, recuperate, reset, retreat – to do what they need to do to help give them hope, build their strength and feel loved".
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The 63-year-old broke the news on lovehopestrength.co.uk, the website of the foundation he set up to raise money for cancer care projects both in the UK and abroad, for which good work he was awarded an MBE in 2018. Dubbed Retreat:Treat, the occasional breaks will be provided free of charge and will be available to up to 22 people at any one time.
The first break, the dates of which have yet to be confirmed, will consist of a two-night getaway exclusively for ladies who have received a breast cancer diagnosis. Guests for this and other Retreat:Treat weekends have to nominated by friends, family, colleagues or healthcare staff before then being shortlisted - click here to find out more about how to get nominated.
In addition, the chapel apartments will also be available as holiday lets and for Alarm-themed 'Staycation Experience' weekends which will culminate in intimate acoustic gigs from Mike himself at The Red, a brand new music venue situated next door to the chapel. Dates for the latter begin at the end of this month and run until the end of May - for more details click here.
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