THE son of blood cancer doctor who is battling the disease himself is to tackle a 300 mile bike ride to raise money for the charity Cure Leukaemia.
Medical student Faheez Shafeek, aged 23, will be pedalling from London to Paris to raise funds in support of his father Dr Salim Shafeek.
Dr Shafeek is the clinical director of haematology and oncology at Worcestershire Royal Hospital and was recently diagnosed with myeloma, a form of blood cancer.
He is now receiving treatment at the Birmingham’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital, a centre supported by Cure Leukaemia.
Patients and staff at the Royal have already raised more than £12,000 from a walk in the Malvern Hills and now Dr Shafeek’s son will make his contribution by taking on Cure Leukaemia’s closed road ride from September 12 to 15 – Blood Cancer Awareness Month.
“Medicine runs in the family with my father and grandfather both spending most of their lives treating blood cancer patients,” said Faheez.
“However I never expected this disease would directly affect my father and his diagnosis came as a great shock.
“Thankfully, he has responded well to treatment and when I heard about the cycle from London to Paris for Cure Leukaemia I was only too happy to do my bit.”
Dr Shafeek has worked at Worcestershire Royal Hospital for 17 years and was the first consultant that former England footballer and Cure Leukaemia Patron Geoff Thomas saw when he was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukaemia in 2003.
Geoff said: “I might not be here today if it was not for Dr Shafeek.
“He has helped so many patients and I am sure every single one of them would want to wish him all the very best.
Dr Shafeek said: “I will return to work in Blood Cancer Awareness Month and I hope people will get behind Faheez and help him raise as many funds as possible for this great charity.”
To support Faheez, click here .
