R5K rider takes a break from chemo to cover 13,700 miles across 26 countries for charity

Being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer couldn’t stop #ride5000miles member Trevor Kerr from setting off on a trans-European charity epic – and what better cause could there be than Pancreatic Cancer UK?

Kawasaki H2 SX SE owner Trevor, from Lancashire, was diagnosed with the condition last year and decided to set off on his trip during a break from a gruelling chemotherapy regime.

Related articles on MCN

• 181,944-mile Triumph Tiger 800
• Biking YouTuber’s charity ride for PTSD UK
• Quadriplegic biker gets back on the road

“I had 24 weeks of it, and out of every 14 days I probably felt half reasonable for two days,” Trevor told MCN. “It was getting harder and harder, but I could see that there was going to be a break from it, because there’s only so much your body can take.

“That was like red rag to a bull and the maps came out and I was on my laptop every day planning where I was going.”

Stopping in to see his family in Essex on Friday, July 31, before heading on to Folkestone, Trev’s journey took him as far south as the Greek island of Kos to surprise his daughter and grandson on their summer holiday, before climbing back up through Europe to the Arctic Circle in Sweden before returning home in September.

“My grandson said: ‘Grandad Trev, you’ve got to come on holiday with us’,” Trevor recalled. “They couldn’t quite believe it when I arrived and I had a few days with them, with a nice relax and swim in the pool.”

Trevor set up a fundraising page on Facebook, allowing friends and family to donate. Not only that, but he also received support along the way from complete strangers – so far raising £7453 in total.

“It was really humbling and for such a good cause,” Trevor said. “When I went in for things like a chain adjustment or cleaning and the topic of conversation lead to why I was there, every dealership made a contribution.”

Trevor plans to head back into Europe next year and advised: “Don’t put it off. A tour could be going away on your own to Wales – it doesn’t have to be thousands of miles; it’s what suits you and what puts a smile on your face.”

Having returned to the UK, Trevor then set off again for the south coast on Friday, October 16 to complete Land’s End to John O’Groats alongside his son, George.