A CANCER survivor is set to take on the Royal Windsor Triathalon – eight years after he was diagnosed.

Brian Greenley was told he had Stage 4 bowel cancer in 2011 and had to go through four rounds of surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and had to have a colostomy bag as the cancer moved from his bowel to his liver and then his lungs.

With a six per cent chance of survival, the Sunningdale resident was miraculously given the all-clear in 2013 and has been defying the cancer ever since.

To mark his 62nd birthday and eight years since his diagnosis, Mr Greenley is now set to take on his first triathlon in Windsor, with the 750m open water swim taking place in the River Thames.

He is raising money for the charity he founded in 2016, From Me to You, which works to end social isolation among people living with cancer by encouraging people to write cards and letters to friends, family and strangers suffering from cancer – keeping them connected at the time they feel most disconnected.

He said: “I never thought I’d be healthy enough to try a triathlon but, inspired by the BBC Tripod podcast featuring Louise Minchin, I thought I’d give it a go. And if I can raise some money for charity too then so much the better. The open water swim is especially daunting but it can’t be worse than cancer.”

His friend Alison Hitchcock, who co-founded the charity with him, said: “We know that cards and letters containing amusing anecdotes and warm words of support mean so much to those who feel too poorly, or limited by their treatment, to maintain their usual social

activities.

“Often, patients feel forgotten by family and friends who shy away from potentially awkward conversations.”