York cancer survivor gets ready for the ‘maddest race on earth’ (From York Press)

York cancer survivor Dean Clifford prepares for Marathon Des Sables

9:07am Monday 30th January 2012 in Fundraising fun By Jennifer Bell, jennifer.bell@thepress.co.uk

IT HAS been billed as the maddest race on earth – but it will be a dream come true for a York cancer survivor when he takes part in a 151-mile desert marathon in sweltering temperatures.

In April, Dean Clifford, 39, will brave the equivalent of five-and-a-half marathons when he strides across the sands of the Sahara desert in Morocco as he takes part in the world-renowned Marathon Des Sables – a seven-day challenge he set himself when he was diagnosed with throat cancer 13 months ago.

Dean, of Tang Hall, said participating in the challenge would be like realising a dream, even though he will have to contend with daytime temperatures of up to 50C, as well as the burden of carrying his own kit.

He will be going the distance in the hope of raising thousands of pounds for Cancer Research, the charity which supported him during his treatment.

It was in December 2010 that Dean’s wife spotted a lump on his throat. Doctors later told him he had thyroid cancer, which spread to his lungs and part of his skull.

A gruelling operation to remove a tumour the size of a large apple followed, as well as several courses of radiotherapy. It meant four times over the past year he has spent four days a time in an isolation treatment room at St James’s University Hospital, in Leeds.

Now Dean has finished his treatment and says he will hopefully be given the all-clear next month.

Dean, already a fitness fanatic, said it was when he was diagnosed that he decided to set himself a challenge he had never done before and a friend had told him about the desert marathon.

“I used it to motivate myself,” he said. “So even when I felt really sick during my treatment I dragged myself out training to give myself something to aim for.

“I think the challenge really helped my treatment as it gave me something to aim towards and something positive to focus on.” Dean said he was looking forward to the event, whilea dmitting he was trying not to think about the pain.

To sponsor Dean, visit his fundraising page at justgiving.com/dean-clifford