Grandson of Hays manager Colin Burns takes on charity challenge

The 10-year-old grandson of Hays Travel branch manager Colin Burns is raising money for charity in a show of support for his grandad, who is being treated for prostate cancer.

 

Colin, the manager at Gateshead and long-time Travel Weekly columnist, had an operation on December 16 and will embark on a course of hormone therapy in the spring, followed by radiotherapy.

 

When grandson George found out, he signed up to ‘Run the Month’, a fundraiser organised by Prostate Cancer UK which challenges people run the length of a marathon – 26.2 miles – throughout January.

 

“He wanted to raise money to help the charity and to help me – and the cricket season had ended so it would help towards his fitness,” said Colin.

 

George has been clocking up the miles by jogging home from school with mum Laura – and when the weather is very bad, he’s been using a treadmill indoors.

 

For his final day on Saturday (January 31), George will complete his final half-mile by running over a bridge in Sunderland, near the new Hays Travel HQ and towards the Stadium of Light.

 

“We will have a ribbon for him and a medal,” said Colin.

 

So far George has raised £2,640 and has less than four miles to go.

 

As well as hailing the support from George, Colin has paid tribute to the backing from wife Catheryn, family, friends and Hays colleagues.

 

“Just before my operation, I was thinking ‘am I doing the right thing?’ – it drags your mood and I was at home feeling sorry for myself,” he recalled.

 

“A parcel came with beer and snacks in a box from the regional managers and branch managers in the region – that lifted me up.”

 

’Go and get tested, just insist on it’

 

He also urged people to get tested for prostate cancer, especially as there is still no population-wide screening programme.

 

“I just kept saying it was my age, being over 60. The symptoms were there…I kept getting up in the middle of the night to nip to the loo,” he recalled.

 

“If Mrs B hadn’t nagged at me and then she filled in the e-consultation form for the GP to get an appointment, I would still be sitting here, allowing the tumour to grow.

 

“Anyone who is getting to my age or showing any symptoms at all, go and get tested, just insist on it.”

Now he is recovering from surgery at home, dealing with its after-effects and watching a lot of TV.

 

“The biggest surprise is how it affects you emotionally, I am not really emotional person but for the first 10 to 14 days, I could cry at Coronation Street – the slightest little thing,” he said.

 

“You quickly get tired, even trying to put your own socks on, early on.”

 

Colin also tries to stay active, taking the family cockapoo Ralph for walks but can only go for half the normal distance.

He managed to join his colleagues for a curry last week but was very tired afterwards and couldn’t stay out like he normally would.

 

He has been in travel all his working life, since starting at tour operator Ellerman Sunflight in March 1982 – before computers – then soon joined Co-op Travelwise, which later became Co-op Travelcare, before moving to Hays Travel 14 years ago.

 

“Back before computers, everything was handwritten, we’d write names in pencil, and then if the deposit didn’t arrive, we’d rub the names out,” he recalled.

 

“We had a telex machine, which was like a massive typewriter with a telephone attached to it.

 

“When the first computer has arrived, we thought it would not fit on our desk, as it was absolutely huge.”

He added: “The NHS has been amazing, from first blood test to the scans and then surgery, it was just nine weeks, so quick.

 

“But I do want to be back in the shop and back in Travel Weekly.”

 

For details about George’s fundraiser, and to donate, click here.