Manchester businessman who beat brain tumour tackles epic North Pole trek

A Manchester businessman is gearing up for gruelling North Pole trek after his remarkable recovery from a brain tumour.

Rob Ward was diagnosed with the tumour at the age of 37 after suffering a seizure in his sleep. He was sent for tests at hospital where they confirmed his diagnosis in 2013, which Rob says was a ‘massive shock.’

The dad-of-five underwent pioneering surgery, carried out while he was awake so doctors could safely remove the tumour at Salford Royal hospital.

He needed further surgery in 2018 but thankfully avoided the need for radiotherapy thanks to the success of the procedure.

Eight years on, he still has scans but he is in good health and preparing to take a on an epic sub-zero challenge with his brother John for a charity supporting people with brain tumours.

The pair will join the Pursuit Challenge to Spitsbergen in the Svalbard Archipelago, between mainland Norway and the North Pole. It is one of the world’s northernmost inhabited areas, with temperatures well below zero and a lack of daylight in winter.

Inspiring others

Rob, a dad-of-five who is MD of Anderton Board and Packaging in Trafford Park, said he had signed up not just to raise cash but also to inspire others and raise awareness of brain tumours which can affect younger people.

He said: “I wanted to show living with these conditions means you can still function at a high level.

“(Brain tumours) are quite rare but not as as rare as you think; it can strike people in their prime of their lives but it’s a very underfunded area.”

The challenge will take Rob and John a week to complete, with four days of walking around 15 miles a day in Arctic conditions.

He’s been training on beaches to try to get used to pulling weights like car tyres and he even climbed Snowdon in the dark - but he admits it’s hard to prepare for the icy temperatures while at home in Alderley Edge.

He said: “I saw this week it was highs of -17C and lows of -25C (over there). We’ll have to deal with very cold temperatures so the kit we’re provided with is very important.”

What is the Lewis Moody Foundation?

Inspired by a young brain tumour patient, Joss Rowley-Stark, the Lewis Moody Foundation was set up by former England rugby star, Lewis Moody. The Foundation funds ground breaking research and gives families a day out of the ordinary to lift spirits and create special memories

Lewis said: “Rob is a truly inspiring man. His passion and commitment to make a difference to the lives of families living and dealing with the impact of a brain tumour is quite remarkable.

“Rob has been an ambassador for the Lewis Moody Foundation since 2017 and has inspired many of our challenge teams over the last few years, through sharing his own story of living with a brain tumour and its impact on his life and that of his family“.

• Rob and John have set themselves a fundraising target of £10,000 for the challenge in March and you can sponsor them at JustGiving here.