logo
'My wife thinks I'm nuts': Dad battling blood cancer taking on huge cycle challenge

'My wife thinks I'm nuts': Dad battling blood cancer taking on huge cycle challenge

Yahoo25-05-2025
A dad of two battling blood cancer is set to cycle 250 miles across Scotland for charity.
Robert Howat, 50, from Kilbarchan, was diagnosed in 2024 with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, a type of blood cancer.
Despite the diagnosis, he plans to help fund research by raising money and awareness for Blood Cancer UK.
He will join two friends for a cycling challenge coast-to-coast from Stranraer to Eyemouth in June.
Robert Howat (Image: Supplied) The ride will take place over two days.
To donate to Robert's fundraising campaign for Blood Cancer UK, go to https://tinyurl.com/3sevmpvu.
He said: "When I got the diagnosis, I thought, what can I do to show people you can still live fully and help others while you're at it?
"I'm on watch and wait, so I go in for check-ups every few months, and I want to show people what you can do with a blood cancer."
(Image: Supplied) He will be cheered on by his wife, daughters, and friends, even though his wife called the challenge "mad" and thought he was "nuts" for doing it.
According to Robert, he was always fit and healthy and never smoked, so the blood cancer diagnosis came as a shock.
He said: "It's been a shock for the family, but I'm still trying to process why it's happened.
"I did everything right, I'm fit and healthy, I don't smoke, yet I've been dealt this hand."
The former police officer, now working at Glasgow Airport, admitted that the diagnosis and subsequent treatment could impact his ability to train as vigorously as he used to.
He said: "I have to be careful, CLL affects your immune system, so I need to avoid infection and balance exercise with recovery.
"I can't train like I used to."
Mairead Macleod, Scotland fundraising manager at Blood Cancer UK, said: "Having chronic leukaemia, a blood cancer, can be hard enough to navigate, and it's incredible Robert is still able to push himself to raise awareness and funds for Blood Cancer UK.
"Blood cancer is the UK's fifth most common blood cancer.
"It's because of the determination of people like Robert, we are able to fund more research into the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of blood cancers.
"He's pedalling us closer to the day where we beat blood cancer for good."
Robert hopes to encourage others grappling with a cancer diagnosis to live fully, saying: "When I was well in the past I've run marathons, done tough mudders, and long bike rides but this is different.
"This one means more.
"I'm doing it show people you can still live with a cancer diagnosis."
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Lottie Woad Wins Scottish Open In Professional Debut
Lottie Woad Wins Scottish Open In Professional Debut

Forbes

time13 minutes ago

  • Forbes

Lottie Woad Wins Scottish Open In Professional Debut

As her wedge shot into the eighteenth hole at Dundonald Links danced around the pin leading to a finishing birdie at the Scottish Open, Lottie Woad announced to the professional golf world that she has arrived. A final round 68 capped off a three-shot victory over a loaded field at the ISPS Handa Women's Scottish Open. TROON, SCOTLAND - JULY 27: Lottie Woad of England plays her third shot on the 18th hole during the ... More final round of the ISPS HANDA Women's Scottish Open 2025 at Dundonald Links Golf Course on July 27, 2025 in Troon, Scotland. (Photo by) Woad, the 21-year-old Englishwoman and former world number one ranked amateur's victory shouldn't come as a surprise to those who have been paying attention. In early July, she won the Irish Open as an amateur and backed up that performance with a T3 finish in the Evian Masters, a major on the LPGA Tour. On a windy day at Dundonald Links in Irvine, Scotland, Woad looked unfazed as Hyo Joo Kim made an early move on the front nine with four early birdies in the first seven holes. Woad herself had a clean card on the front nine with a bogey-free 34 as she displayed a very disciplined game, often seen in more seasoned players. After Kim's hot start, she also made birdies on the 11th and 12th holes and briefly shared the lead before Woad birdied the 13th and 14th holes to regain control of the championship. Walking up the eighteenth hole, Woad laid up into the par-5 finisher before sticking a 3/4 wedge to 2 feet to seal the tournament. 'You know, everyone was chasing me today, and managed to maintain the lead and played really nicely down the stretch and hit a lot of good shots, which is nice,' Woad told the press. For her victory, the 21-year old made $300,000 and possibly more importantly, she earned status on the Ladies European Tour for the rest of this season (she also has LPGA status) which will allow her to accumulate points for next season's Solheim Cup. TROON, SCOTLAND - JULY 27: Lottie Woad of England poses with the trophy following victory of the ... More ISPS HANDA Women's Scottish Open following the final round of the ISPS HANDA Women's Scottish Open 2025 at Dundonald Links Golf Course on July 27, 2025 in Troon, Scotland. (Photo by) Young Players Finding Success In Professional Debuts Woad became the second player in the last three years to win her pro debut. In 2023, Rose Zhang, the american stand out from Stanford, won her pro debut at the Mizuho Americas Open at Liberty National. World number one Nelly Korda, who played with Woad the first three rounds, got off to a great start making four-straight birdies on the front nine, before a bulky putter derailed her chances with a final round 71, finishing eight shots behind Woad. Woad hopped on the world stage last year as she birdied three of the final four holes to win the Augusta National Women's Amateur title. She commented that she felt more pressure there than in her professional debut in Scotland. "I think Augusta, that was the biggest tournament I played in at the time and was kind of my big win," Woad said. "So definitely felt the pressure of it more there, and I felt like all those experiences helped me with this." Women's professional golf heads to Wales next week to Royal Porthcrawl for the final major of the season, the AIG Women's Open. Lottie Woad will look to continue her stellar play as she will undoubtedly be one of the favorites to win.

President Trump 'Warned' About His Golf Course Behavior
President Trump 'Warned' About His Golf Course Behavior

Yahoo

time40 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

President Trump 'Warned' About His Golf Course Behavior

President Trump 'Warned' About His Golf Course Behavior originally appeared on The Spun. President Trump has been "warned" by golf fans on social media that his behavior on the course this weekend is not up to par. The President of the United States played a round of golf at Trump Turnberry in Scotland on Saturday. President Trump, 79, played a round of golf with his son, Eric Trump, and a U.S. Ambassador. Trump Turnberry is perhaps the nicest course owned by President Trump. Golf star Bryson DeChambeau wants to see it host a British Open. But while President Trump appeared to play a strong round, he's taking heat on social media for something he did - or rather did not do - on the course. Video from Fox News shows President Trump draining an impressive putt. However, the President of the United States did not pick up his ball. Instead, he simply walked off the green after making the putt. Golf fans are ripping him for not following proper golf etiquette, suggesting that it wouldn't fly at their courses. "Yeah a putt an 8 year old could make and @realDonaldTrump ignores golf etiquette and walks away from the ball in the cup," one fan wrote. "Now show the part before this where his caddie picks up the ball to clean it and places it closer to the hole. Then tell Trump about etiquette and getting his own ball out of the cup," one fan wrote. "Notice Trump doesn't clean his own ball or take his ball out of the cup. You lose continuity if you play like that. He is so out of shape he can barely bend over," one fan added. "I noticed in Scotland today golfing Trump had someone pick his ball out of the cup — either too lazy or too cold," one fan added. "Looks like Trump can't bend over anymore. Caddie cleans ball and replaces, then pulls ball out of cup," one fan added. "I'm a Trump voter and supporter. I'm also a golfer. You get your own ball out of the cup after you putt. That's just golf etiquette 101," one fan added. What do you make of President Trump's golf course behavior? President Trump 'Warned' About His Golf Course Behavior first appeared on The Spun on Jul 27, 2025 This story was originally reported by The Spun on Jul 27, 2025, where it first appeared.

Woad, 21, claims Scottish Open victory on pro debut
Woad, 21, claims Scottish Open victory on pro debut

Yahoo

timean hour ago

  • Yahoo

Woad, 21, claims Scottish Open victory on pro debut

Women's Scottish Open final-round leaderboard -21 Woad (Eng); -18 H-J Kim (Kor); -14 S-Y Kim (Kor), Lopez (Spa); -13 Korda (USA); -11 Madsen (Den); -10 Reto (SA). Selected others: -8 Hewson (Eng); -6 Maguire (Ire); -5 Hull (Eng); -4 Hall (Eng); -1 Harry (Wal); E Fuller (Eng); +7 Williams (Wal), Dryburgh (Sco). Full leaderboard England's Lottie Woad delivered a statement victory on her professional debut at the Women's Scottish Open as a final-round 68 secured her second tour win. The 21-year-old went into the final round with a two-shot lead over South Korea's Sei Young Kim and held her nerve to keep the chasing pack at bay. Five birdies and one bogey - just her third in 72 holes around Dundonald Links - took Woad to 21 under for the tournament, three clear of nearest challenger Hyo Joo Kim. Seven-time LPGA winner Kim matched her at 20 under midway through the back nine, but successive bogeys at 15 and 16 allowed Woad to move clear at the top. Woad 'feeling good' as she keeps Scottish Open lead The former world number one amateur held a two-shot lead going down the par-five 18th and, after knocking a wedge to tap-in range, she finished in style with a birdie. "It's a pretty good outcome," Woad said in understated fashion. "I definitely wasn't expecting to win but knew I was playing well and just hoping to contend. "There's not many scoreboards out there, but I knew it was probably quite tight at one stage. "It's great. Links golf is really fun and it went fine. My dad was here all week and my mum got the train up last night, so I was hoping I wouldn't mess it up." Woad, who won the Irish Open as an amateur, turned professional last week after missing out on £400,000 prize money when finishing just a shot outside the play-off won by Grace Kim at the Evian Championship - the women's fourth major of the year. She now takes home £220,000 in prize money for winning on Scotland's west coast and heads to Royal Porthcawl for next week's Women's Open among the favourites. "Even if I hadn't won this week, I would still be trying to win the Open next week," added Woad. "It's still a learning curve getting used to the attention."

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store