Chandigarh, Dec 13 (PTI) A 26-year-old British man, who was diagnosed with cancer a couple of years ago, has set off on a challenging bicycle ride from Bristol to Beijing to raise funds for cancer charities.

On Monday, he addressed an inspirational interactive session at the Advanced Pediatric Centre (APC), Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), here.

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"Receiving a cancer diagnosis can feel like a death sentence. I'm doing this ride to show it's possible to live your dreams, even with cancer," this was the key message given by Luke Grenfell-Shaw from Westbury-on-Trym, a suburb in the north of the city of Bristol, England.

"The ailment does not have a barrier. But you've got to create your own opportunities, no one else will do that for you," he said.

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He further shared, "This expedition would be seriously challenging even for someone living without cancer."

"However, I want to show that despite a cancer diagnosis you can set your own horizons; that you need not be labelled and limited by it, rather it's your dreams that determine your achievements," he said, a PGIMER release quoting him said.

Organised by Dr Amita Trehan, Professor in Pediatric Medicine, with an intent to motivate others battling with the ailment, the session also saw participation from a 10-year old, who is under treatment at the PGIMER for leukemia; a Class 10 student, a survivor of leukemia; and a student of pharmacy from Panjab University, also a cancer survivor.

The session was also attended by an NGO, which is helping Luke's journey in India.

Sharing his life's journey with the audience, Luke Grenfell-Shaw said, "While teaching English in Siberia in 2018, I noticed an ache in my shoulder. At first, he presumed it was a pulled muscle, but later it was diagnosed to be a Stage IV sarcoma."

It is a rare cancer which had spread from his shoulder blade to his lungs at the age of 24, said the PGIMER release.

"I was determined to take charge of my life and live it to the maximum. So, I founded a charity called CanLive on 19 October 2019, aiming to raise awareness and funds during the ride from Bristol, UK, to Beijing, China," he said.

"Already covering 18,000 kilometres, the tandem trip (which began in January 2020) has provided me an opportunity to share the experience with friends, family and with other young CanLivers, people living with cancer who are inspired to live life to the full and maximise their longevity," he said.

On the occasion, Luke's inspirational story was complimented by equally interesting and encouraging stories from other cancer survivors.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Amita Trehan said, "It is extremely gratifying for us as doctors to listen to these inspirational stories. As we also get emotionally involved with our patients, these kind of positive life accounts rejuvenate us and reiterate our faith in the nobility of this profession."

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)