Tain RAF engineer is man on a mission: ‘We can’t just keep letting cancer win’

A TAIN engineer who was diagnosed with bowel cancer at the age of 41 is saddling up to back an awareness month.

Now in remission, Scottish RAF engineer Nathan Grove is championing bowel cancer awareness month by taking part in the UK’s original closed road cycling event, Cancer Research UK Etape Caledonia.

It takes place in Highland Perthshire on May 11 and raises money for title partner Cancer Research UK, the world’s leading cancer charity. The charity is dedicated to saving and improving lives through research, influence and information.

Bowel cancer awareness month, observed every April, aims to raise awareness about the fourth most common cancer in the UK.

It highlights the importance of detecting bowel cancer early when treatment is more likely to be successful.

After experiencing his own bowel cancer diagnosis and getting through the physical and emotional toll of treatment, Nathan is ready to hit the roads of Perthshire.

Originally from Tain, he now lives in Letham, Angus, and has served with the RAF both in the UK and abroad for 26 years.

He was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2020 at the age of 41. Since then, Nathan has had radiotherapy, two rounds of chemotherapy and two surgeries to treat the cancer.

Even before his diagnosis Nathan was an endurance event enthusiast and, over the years, he has raised nearly £13,000 for Cancer Research UK, cycling hundreds of miles before and after treatment.

This year he will take on the 55-mile route at the Cancer Research UK Etape Caledonia to raise further funds in memory of his father who survived prostate cancer but subsequently died from a brain tumour and lung cancer.

Nathan said: “I wouldn’t let cancer stop me from living my life to the fullest. Cycling has helped me regain my strength, gave me focus during my recovery and reminded me that every challenge can be overcome.

“By taking part in the Cancer Research UK Etape Caledonia, I want to raise money to support Cancer Research UK’s invaluable research that goes on in the background to try and come up with novel techniques to treat this disease and, hopefully one day, beat it. It’s got to be the way ahead. We can’t just keep letting cancer win.

“My Dad had prostate cancer in the late 2000s and I lost him last year through a brain tumour and lung cancer, so the charity's very close to our heart.”

For almost two decades, Etape Caledonia has attracted over 40,000 cyclists from around the world ranging from teens to octogenarians.

Renowned for its stunning closed-road routes through Highland Perthshire, the event offers three distance options: 40-miles, 55-miles and 85-miles.

These are ideal for both experienced cyclists, first time sportive riders or those looking for a personal challenge.

This year, Cancer Research UK Etape Caledonia will be expecting around 5000 riders to arrive in the Highland town of Pitlochry on 11 May to tackle the glorious Highland landscape, taking on winding roads, tree-lined avenues, lochs, mountains and everything in between.

Jo Dytch, event director, said: "Cancer Research UK Etape Caledonia is more than just a cycling event – it’s about personal triumphs, overcoming challenges and coming together as a community. Nathan’s story embodies everything this event stands for, and we hope it inspires more people to sign up and be part of something truly special.”

Nathan’s fundraising page can be found here: Nathan’s CRUK Fundraiser

Cyclists can now register for Cancer Research UK Etape Caledonia 2025 at www.etapecaledonia.com

Cancer Research UK is the world’s leading cancer charity dedicated to saving lives through research, influence and information.

Cancer Research UK’s pioneering work into the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer has helped save millions of lives.

Cancer Research UK has been at the heart of the progress that has already seen survival in the UK double in the last 50 years.

Today, two in four people survive their cancer for at least 10 years. Cancer Research UK wants to accelerate progress and see 3 in 4 people surviving their cancer by 2034.

Cancer Research UK supports research into the prevention and treatment of cancer through the work of over 4000 scientists, doctors and nurses.

The charity says it is working towards a world where everybody lives longer, better lives, free from the fear of cancer.

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