LAST Saturday, September 3, James McCarthy and his best mate, Shaun Renshaw climbed the three Yorkshire peaks in pouring rain.

It took almost ten hours.

“I have never been so wet in my life. I used cancer as my motivation to finish,” said James who is suffering from a grade 3 brain tumour.

The Flixton resident has undergone conventional treatment without success and wants to help others get the Proton Beam treatment he craves but hasn’t been offered.

“I would like every brain tumour patient to have Proton Beam treatment under the NHS,” he said.

“It is available in Prague for just £20,000.”

So, after his last relapse, he set up the James McCarthy Brain Tumour Foundation to do that and to fund research into the condition.

This was the reason for his climb and he wants donations urgently.

The former Wellacre student wants to tell people about an alkaline diet of green vegetables and salads he discovered and which seems to be working, and to advise the public of the early symptoms of the condition.

When only two, James was already displaying symptoms.

“My parents took me to a psychologist because I had behavioural difficulties,” he said.

In 2009, he had an epileptic fit whilst driving and crashed into an articulated lorry. The hospital confirmed he had a malignant brain tumour.

“It was a death sentence. I thought my life was over,” he said.

Three years later he got a 2.1 degree in Business Management from Salford University

In 2014, the growth returned. So he set up his organisation.

An NHS England spokesman said: “These difficult decisions on treatment are medical judgements which are, quite rightly, taken by top specialists in their field, based on evidence which patients would benefit from PBT.

“Patients who are appropriate for treatment are able to access proton beam therapy on the NHS abroad and over 900 patients have been approved for treatment since the beginning of the programme in April 2008.”

A Proton Beam facility being built at the Christie Hospital will be opened in 2018.

To donate, see justgiving.com/crowdfunding/james-mccarthy-2?utm_id=107&utm_term=xYV27zpb7

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