Adam cycling his way back to rugby and helping other cancer patients
Adam Froggatt, now 33, had to stop playing club rugby aged 26 when experiencing undiagnosed symptoms of bowel cancer.
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With the cancer undetected for three years, by the time he was 27 Adam had a diagnosis. Without playing his favourite sport, his fitness level had dropped and, with three months to wait before an operation to remove the tumour, he was overweight. He decided to help improve his chances of a successful operation and speedy recovery by buying a road bike on eBay.
Says Adam: “Buying that bike truly changed my life. I am fitter, healthier and stronger than before cancer. I have ridden thousands of miles, completed an ultra-marathon and the Royal Marines triathlon, all while raising money for charity.”
Diagnosed with stage 3 bowel cancer in 2017, Adam and his wife Jamie had a son, Charlie, just two months old. After three rounds of chemotherapy and extensive radiotherapy, Adam had a major operation which was successful and received the news that all the cancer had been removed.
Registering The Bike Network charity
During lockdown in 2020, with time on his hands, Adam, who had done a bike mechanic qualification, started servicing and repairing bikes for cancer patients he had met at his local hospital. To continue doing that he needed to raise funding, and this was so successful that he had soon registered The Bike Network as a charity.
“Cycling helped me so much that I created The Bike Network in the hope that others could experience the same benefits,” says Adam. “The charity has raised some £200,000 and since 2020 we have supplied over 500 bikes nationwide to cancer patients, survivors and their direct family members but there are so many more people who need the charity’s help.
“Cycling not only benefits the body,” says Adam, “it also allows time to think over what is happening, whether that is during diagnosis, treatment when you’re anxiously awaiting news from a follow up with a consultant or scan, or after the all clear.”
Playing second-row at Plympton Victoria
Now a fitter, healthier and very happy Adam has returned to his original love, playing rugby.
“I took six-year-old Charlie along to an U7s taster day at my local club, Plympton Victoria RFC, and got talking to some senior guys who encouraged me to go along to training. I wasn’t sure initially if I could play again, as I have a colostomy bag, but I went to the next training session. I am back playing second-row now and very pleased to be playing our beautiful game again.”
Plympton Victoria have adopted The Bike Network as one of their charities and promote the great work done to support cancer patients. Fourteen members of the club will be cycling 525 miles from their home ground in Plymouth all the way to Newcastle Falcons, while stopping off at all the Premiership rugby clubs along the way. The club want to raise as much as possible to help support more people affected by cancer.
You can support one of the cyclists by clicking here.
