A GIFFNOCK man has raised over an amazing £7,000 in memory of his friend who died of a brain tumour.

Graham Waddell, 55, watched life-long pal John MacCormick go through hell during his illness before he sadly passed away in May last year aged 50.

John bravely fought for 15 months after his diagnosis in February 2017. "He didn't get a break", Graham recalls as John was constantly enduring various treatments.

In John's memory, Graham decided to take on a sponsored 120-mile cycle from Giffnock to Isle of Lismore, where John lived with his family.

Already a no-easy-feat, the challenge was made more testing by rain which stayed on for the whole duration of the cycle. But after eight hours and 40 minutes of cycling time, Graham alongside his son Euan made it to the finishing line of John's home where they were greeted with a party to celebrate his life.

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Graham told the Barrhead News: "We left at 6.30am and made it there for 5pm which we were happy with, but it rained the full time. The money raised has been amazing. We raised £7,100 for The Brain Tumour Charity after setting a target of £2,000."

"John was a close family friend who was diagnosed with a brain tumour and sadly died from it so we decided to raise money for the charity.

"My wife grew up with him and his family, and he was back down in Glasgow for his treatment. We actually organised a flat for him to stay near to the hospital.

"During his battle, he never got a break, he was getting treatment all the time and just constantly trying to fight it. There wasn't a time he felt great unfortunately, it was really full on.

"It was very hard to watch John go downhill so quickly, but he was still in good form and he always thought he was going to beat it. For treatment, he was going on trials and everything else to find ways to beat it and if not to stay on as long as possible. But it was around February last year he was told there was no more treatment and sadly passed away in the May."

Now a campaigner for The Brain Tumour Charity, Graham plans to continue to raise awareness of brain tumours and raise more funds in future. 

If you would like to donate, you can at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/graham-waddell