Fife firefighter takes on 1,000-mile cycle to help charity supporting children diagnosed with cancer

A Dunfermline-based firefighter is taking on a 1,000-mile cycle with his friend to support a charity set up to help children diagnosed with a rare brain tumour.

Firefighter Stewart Burke will take on the gruelling TransAlba Race around parts of Scotland on Sunday, 14 June, alongside his close friend Gordon Ritson.

The cycling pair are fundraising for Jaxon’s Gift, a charity set up by the parents of a little boy called Jaxon who died aged 6, following a diagnosis of Diffuse Midline Glioma.

Jaxon’s parents, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service Watch Commander David McKenzie of Broxburn and On Call Support and his wife, Ashley, along with family and friends, wanted to support other children and young people affected by cancer.

Stewart said: “Seeing the support David and his family received during Jaxon’s illness showed me just how vital charities like Jaxon’s Gift are. As a father, it really hits home.”

Stewart and Gordon’s cycling challenge will see them tackle steep hills around Scotland and they’ll have to take four ferries to complete the race in under four days. They will carry everything they need on their bikes and remain entirely self-sufficient throughout.

Stewart continued: “While we are no strangers to demanding physical challenges, this is our biggest, toughest test yet.

“We’ll no doubt face relentless climbs and unpredictable Scottish weather, but every mile we complete, we know we’re doing it for such an amazing cause and that really pushes you through.”

The route begins at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh and finishes at the Forth Road Bridge. In between, the 1,020-mile course takes riders south before looping up the west coast, across the northern coastline, and through the Cairngorms, before returning to the capital.

To learn more and support their challenge, visit Stewart and Gordon's JustGiving page.