Friends Turn Tragedy Into Triumph with 175 Mile Charity Bike Ride

What started out as a group of friends coming together for a charity bike ride transformed into a healing journey, where grief was processed mile by mile.

Paul Curotto, now retired, has always been an avid cyclist. He used to ride his bike between different hospital sites when he worked for Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. This workday routine was a big reason his colleagues, Paul Newman and Matt Quinton, had their passion for cycling reignited. The men would often meet up outside work for regular rides.

In 2010, Paul completed the coast-to-coast Hadrian’s Wall Cycleway with his wife, Mandy. His good friends, Gill and Graham Bourne, acted as Paul’s back up team for the 174 mile cycling challenge. The trip even inspired Gill to tackle a coast-to-coast cycle route herself one day.

A passion shared

Fast forward more than 10 years later and a conversation started between both Pauls (known at work as Paul C and Paul N), Gill and Matt about taking on the 170 mile, Way of the Roses. This is a cycle route that passes through the valleys of Lancashire and the Dales of Yorkshire.

But the foursome didn’t just want to complete the route, they also wanted to raise money for Breast Cancer UK. The charity was important to the friends, as Gill had been in remission from breast cancer for five years. Plus, Paul N’s wife, Jayne, was currently receiving treatment for breast cancer.

The ride was fixed for September 2023, but tragedy struck. While Paul C, Matt and Gill were on a training ride together in April that year, Gill was involved in a road traffic accident. Sadly, she died at the scene with Paul and Matt by her side.

In another cruel twist, a few months later Paul N’s wife Jayne lost her battle with cancer. The trip was postponed while the friends attempted to recover from the devastating turn of events.

It was several months later that Paul C, 62, and Matt, 49, made the decision to finish what they’d started. They decided to cycle the Way of the Roses as a tribute to Gill. A new date of September 2024 was agreed.

Miles of memories

At first, the friends struggled to get back in the saddle after witnessing Gill’s accident. But, slowly, their confidence returned.

Paul said: “It was a nightmare. I can’t really explain what we’ve been through. Obviously, it’s been a lot worse for Graham and Paul, but we felt we needed to finish what we’d started and to honour Gill’s memory and Jayne. It was our way of trying to turn something completely awful into a positive for other people that were going through a similar thing.”

The cycle route, which starts in Morecambe in the east and finishes in Bridlington in the west, covered some of the same roads they’d ridden with Gill on the day of her accident. But, although ‘hugely emotional’, both men found it provided some closure.

Paul added: “It was closure for us in a way as we’d both had horrendous nightmares since the accident. We talked a lot whilst we were out there which helped massively. The first part of the ride we were like a self-help group for each other.”

Reaching unexpected heights

Over the three days, the pair climbed a total of 9,000ft. They were battered by north easterly winds and tackled thick fog as they climbed the highest peak, Greenhow Hill. “Afterwards we said it was probably a good thing, as if we’d seen the incline we would have known how steep it was and passed out!” added Paul.

The duo ended up cycling slightly further than planned after ‘somebody with a really sick sense of humour’ removed some signposts. This meant that 170 miles turned into 175 miles!

But there were moments of joy, with the friends’ favourite part being the flattest section between Ripon and York. The respite allowed time to enjoy the scenery and take stock of all they had been through together in the last year and a half.

Paul, from Drighlington near Bradford, said: “It was tough in places, really tough. Especially on the first day of the cycle when we had to ride some of the roads that we’d ridden with Gill, but it was therapeutic in a way.”

Paul’s wife, Mandy, was an integral part of the trip, having been friends with Gill for 35 years after meeting in the Queens Alexandra Royal Army Nursing Corps. Alongside Paul’s sister, Julie, the women were Matt and Paul’s support team, ‘loading them up with water and chewy bars’ at regular intervals.

The perfect charity bike ride

When the men finally made it into Bridlington on the third day, they were met with cheers and tears from family and friends. This included those of Gill who had come to remember her. To mark the occasion, Mandy had brought white roses. Each person took one to throw into the North Sea to celebrate Gill’s life.

“It absolutely rocked me. Matt and I were both crying. It was a massively emotional time. I can’t thank enough my wonderful wife Mandy and sister Julie for being our back up team, they kept us fed, organised, and encouraged both me and Matt all the way. It was an emotional day for all at the finish line,” remembered Paul.

The men exceeded their fundraising target and raised £2,672 for Breast Cancer UK. The group of friends are already planning more fundraising for the charity and plan to take part in the vintage bike ride Velo Retro in the Lake District next June.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK. Over 55,000 women and around 400 men a year are diagnosed with the disease. Yet 30% of these cases are preventable. Support from amazing fundraisers like Paul and Matt help Breast Cancer UK to prevent the disease through education, scientific research, and policy change.

Want to learn more about easy everyday ways to help reduce your risk of breast cancer? Check out our Prevention Hub.

Been inspired by this charity bike ride? Find out how you can fundraise for us here.

• awareness
• BCUK
• Breast cancer
• breast cancer prevention
• Breast Cancer UK
• cancer
• Challenge
• charities
• Fundraise
• prevention