Prostate cancer affects an extraordinary number of families.

Prostate Cancer UK says more than 64,000 men are diagnosed every year, more than 12,000 men die from the disease each year, and around 1 in 8 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime.

Behind every one of those numbers is somebody’s dad, husband, brother, son, uncle, friend or colleague.

For me, one of them was my dad.

That makes this personal.

I cannot change what happened to my dad.

What I can do is use what happened afterwards to try to make a difference for somebody else’s family.

Prostate Cancer UK funds research aimed at improving the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of prostate cancer. Its fundraising also supports services including Specialist Nurses who provide information and support to men and their families.

I hope that research continues to improve diagnosis and treatment to the point where fewer families have to experience what mine did.

If Tough Smudge can make even a small contribution towards that, then all the miles, mud and aching legs are worth rather more than another medal.

Raising money matters.

Getting men to think about prostate cancer matters as well.

One of the difficulties with prostate cancer is that early prostate cancer often has no symptoms. Prostate Cancer UK therefore encourages men to understand their individual risk rather than waiting until something feels wrong.

Family history is one of the recognised risk factors, alongside age and ethnicity. Having a father or brother who has had prostate cancer increases a man’s own risk, although having an increased risk certainly does not mean that he will develop the disease.

That makes awareness particularly personal to me too.

If reading this page makes you think about your own risk, or makes you send the link to your dad, brother, husband or mate, that is worthwhile in itself.

Their online Risk Checker takes around 30 seconds.

I want to be completely clear about this.

Money donated through my GiveStar fundraising page goes directly to Prostate Cancer UK.

It does not pay for:

• Tough Mudder entries;
• travel;
• hotels;
• trainers or equipment;
• nutrition;
• website costs;
• filming or content;
• or any other Tough Smudge expense.

Those costs are separate and may be supported by me personally, Patreon, sponsorship, partnerships, merchandise or affiliate income.

A charity donation is a charity donation.

That separation matters to me.

There are plenty of reasons I take part in these events.

I enjoy challenging myself.

I want to see what I am capable of.

I like having something ridiculous on the horizon that forces me to keep training.

But the fundraising has a different motivation.

Every step taken, every obstacle climbed, every mouthful of mud and every finish line crossed can now contribute towards something that matters beyond me.

I cannot do anything about the finish line my dad reached in June 2024.

I can decide what I do after it.

And this is part of that.

Thank you.

For supporting the challenge.

For supporting the charity.

And for helping me make it count.

Endure. Overcome. Make it count.