My father has terminal prostate cancer.

Sorry to open with such a blunt statement, but that is what is happening.

In the UK alone:

• 47,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year - that's about 130 per day.
• 10,800 men per year die from prostate cancer - that's 1 every hour.
• 1 in 8 men will get prostate cancer in their lifetime.

The annoying thing is that in a lot of instances prostate cancer is treatable - IF treatment starts early enough. However a vast majority of men, my father included, choose to ignore the symptoms until it's too late. Whether they ignore the symptoms through ignorance, fear, or embarrassment the result is the same - the cancer progresses too far.

I am doing this fund-raising attempt for 5 reasons

1. To raise awareness of the importance of getting symptoms checked out by your GP as soon as they present themselves.
2. To raise funds for further research into the treatment of prostate cancer.
3. To raise much needed funds for equipment to be donated to the Urology department at Walsall Manor Hospital
4. To do it while my father is still alive to see me doing it, rather than doing it in memory of.
5. Who wouldn't want to break a Guinness World Record?

Half of all the money raised will go to prostatecanceruk.org , the other half will go to the Urology department at Walsall Manor Hospital - via the Well Wishers organisation.

The attempt will take place at Walsall Manor Hospital over the weekend of 22nd/23rd October. I'll be playing on World Poker Tour as pictured. Starting at 12:00 on Saturday, with the record being broken at 16:00 on Sunday. How far I go after that (assuming I make it), who knows?

So please donate what you can.

Thank you for reading.