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Exercise: Still My Drug of Choice by Matthew Wing

Lying in the back of an ambulance was not quite how I imagined finishing a family walking holiday in North Wales.

We had spent the week exploring the countryside, occasionally dragging two teenagers up hills and across fields. My wife had noticed I was disappearing into the bushes rather more often than usual. I had noticed some blood earlier that summer but convinced myself it was probably piles and something to deal with later. Twenty-four hours later, after a serious bleed, I was on my way to Bangor A&E. A colonoscopy, scans and consultations soon followed and the diagnosis came back: bowel cancer.

I have always enjoyed being active. At 58 I was already thinking about my next challenge for my 60th birthday. In earlier years I had cycled from Land’s End to John O’Groats and completed several other multi-day rides. Cancer treatment, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery, inevitably disrupted that routine, but I was determined not to stop moving Completely.

During chemotherapy at the Royal Marsden I often walked the 45 minutes to and from the hospital. It helped physically and mentally, even if it occasionally meant leaving a trail of mud across the ward after cutting across the common and golf course.

After surgery I found myself adjusting to life with a permanent stoma and wondering what activities would still be possible. With a bit of ingenuity, extra foam padding and two pairs of cycling shorts in the early days, I was soon back on the bike.

One of the biggest sources of encouragement came from other ostomates sharing their experiences online. Seeing people swimming, cycling, running and simply getting on with life helped me realise that having a stoma does not mean giving up the things you enjoy. Not long after surgery my new stoma and I signed up for Colostomy UK’s Stoma 66 challenge, which aimed to collectively cover 66,000 kilometres in 66 days. What started as short walks around the block quickly turned into longer yomps across Epsom Downs and Box Hill. Movement quickly became my drug of choice.

Around that time a friend introduced me to MOVE Against Cancer charity and its 5k Your Way initiative, which works alongside parkrun. On the last Saturday of each month, people living with or beyond cancer, along with family, friends and healthcare professionals, meet at designated local parkruns to walk, jog, run or volunteer together. 

Today there are more than 125 5k Your Way groups meeting regularly across the UK and Ireland, offering a welcoming and supportive space for anyone affected by cancer to move at their own pace. After speaking with a few fellow patients and friends, we helped establish a 5k Your Way group at Nonsuch parkrun, not far from the Royal Marsden in Sutton. These days our monthly gatherings are about far more than covering 5 kilometres. Some people walk, some jog, some volunteer, and many stay for coffee and conversation afterwards. That sense of community is incredibly powerful. I’m now MOVE Against Cancer’s Regional Ambassador for the London area and enjoy helping to grow 5k Your Way across the city.  

I am also proud to contribute as a patient representative on the Royal Marsden’s Physical Activity Strategy, helping to ensure the voice of people living with and beyond cancer is heard. Whenever I get the opportunity I am a very enthusiastic flag-waver for MOVE Against Cancer and the idea that movement can play a huge role in recovery and wellbeing. Several years on from that ambulance ride in North Wales, exercise is still my drug of choice. But now it is not just about my own health. If sharing my story helps another ostomate feel confident enough to pull on a pair of trainers and head out for a walk, then it will have been worth it.