A NURSE from York who has incurable cancer has completed a month-long 172-mile trek with his brother to raise funds for research.

As The Press reported last month, Ben Green, 41, was diagnosed with oesophageal cancer just two days after his fortieth birthday and though at the time it was deemed as curable with surgery, Ben was going through pre-op chemo, when he found out the devastating news that the cancer had spread to his lymph nodes and it was inoperable.

Throughout February - Oesophageal Cancer Awareness Month - Ben, who lives in Hambleton near Selby, and his brother, Tom, 39, completed a virtual walk of Mount Everest and Mount Fuji in an attempt to raise as much money as they could for Cancer Research UK – oesophageal cancer and amazingly they have raised £20,881 to date including gift aid.

What makes the completion of the challenge all the more impressive is that Ben restarted chemotherapy on February 9, but the pair completed it all the same.

Ben, who worked for 17 years as a mental health nurse at Clifton House psychiatric unit in York, said on Facebook said he'd been overwhelmed by everyone's kindness and generosity.

He said: "I've taken you all with me on this journey, in my head and in my heart. I've thought about you all every step of the way, your kindness, your generosity, your friendship and your love.

"And during a time where we have all had to isolate I have never felt more surrounded by friends, family and strangers."

Before they set out Tom said: “Oesophageal cancer is one of those cancers that is very rarely talked about. It generally effects men in their 60s, 70s and 80s but for reasons unknown to everyone, it got Ben. Oesophageal cancer is classed as one of the ‘less survivable cancers’ meaning that the survival rates are still less than 20 per cent. Gastro-intestinal cancers need more funding and research that focus on early detection and cures so that we can beat this cruel an unfair disease.

“Doing this event now is especially important for us and our family and friends because when Ben was told that his cancer was terminal his consultant estimated that Ben’s life expectancy would be March 2021. So we are, virtually climbing mountains together.”

If you want to the brothers on their mission click here.