A TEAM of intrepid explorers took to the road and headed to Spain in honour of a much-loved father.
Pat Dunne, Guy Dodd, Nick Tatlow and Andrew Tatlow packed up the Volvo and travelled from Redditch to Benidorm to raise funds for Solihull Hospital’s Haematology and Oncology Day Unit.
The 1,400-mile trip took them from Redditch to Dover, Orléans, Toulouse, Tarragona and finally to Benidorm in just four days.
The quartet set off into the sunset in honour of Pat’s dad, Martin Dunne, aged 75, who is receiving pancreatic cancer treatment at the £2.2m unit which opened last year.
Pat, who has a decorating business in Balsall Common, wanted to do something to say a special thank you to Ms Joyce Thompson, Consultant Medical Oncologist and her team at the unit who have cared for his dad.
Speaking to The Observer Pat said: “It was a hard slog because of the mileage involved, we were on the road almost constantly.
“The stop in Toulouse was my favourite.
“it’s known as the ‘Red City’ because of the architecture and it really is stunning.”
Pat said the friends united on the trip because of what they were doing and what they were raising money for.
Initially the quartet set out to raise £1,250 but once all the funds were counted up Part revealed they raised around £3,900 for the unit.
They even sold the car they had driven to help boost coffers for the unit.
Pat said: “I have good friends who whole-heartedly contributed and rallied their own contacts to contribute.
“Without whom I wouldn’t have raised so much money.
“I am forever in their debt.”
Rachel Learmonth, fundraising manager for Solihull Hospital Charity said: “Thanks to the incredible support of generous fundraisers like Pat and his friends, Solihull Hospital Charity is able to provide vital equipment and outstanding facilities to our cancer patients here at Solihull Hospital.
“Our mission is to go ‘over and above’ to fund what the NHS cannot.
“This substantial donation will largely help a patients’ stay at hospital, making it that little bit easier, thank you.”
For more about the Haematology and Oncology Day Unit or to find out about fundraising visit www.hospitalcharity.org/cancercentre or call 0121 371 4852.
