Walking 10 marathons in 10 days in March? That’s unbelievable Jeff!
Sky Sports presenter Stelling set for epic challenge for Prostate Cancer UK with Iron Chairman set to join the Scunthorpe leg.Intrepid television presenter Jeff Stelling will embark on an epic charity walk in March to help tame prostate cancer.
Teaming up with leading men’s health organisation Prostate Cancer UK, the long-standing Soccer Saturday host will complete 10 walking marathons in 10 days, from boyhood club Hartlepool United to Wembley between March 21-30.
Clocking in at more than 250 miles in total, Jeff’s Men United March - menunitedmarch.org - will see the 60-year-old check in on 31 football clubs.
En route, he will be joined by famous friends and colleagues with Iron Chairman Peter Swann and directors Karin Swann and James Rodwell joining him for the Doncaster to Scunthorpe leg on Wednesday 23rd March. They’ll head off from the Doncaster Rovers’ Keepmoat Stadium via the Racecourse and Nature Reserve, across the marshes via Isle of Axholme and the River Trent, finishing at Glanford Park, the home of Scunthorpe United.
After a serious ankle injury ruled the Chairman out of his South Africa walk with Sir Ian Botham, Peter Swann is really looking forward to the Men United walk with Jeff Stelling.
He said: "We did not get off as the best of friends after a bit of a TV debate, however the combination of our love for football and the willingness to get the message out there for Prostate Cancer certainly has come to the fore and I cannot wait to help Jeff on this part of his mammoth walk!”
Iron mascot Scunny Bunny has also confirmed his attendance in the Doncaster to Scunthorpe leg and you could get involved too!
If you want to join Jeff, Peter, Karin, James and Scunny Bunny on the day three leg, you can email Prostate Cancer here for further details.
Also, if you wish to sponsor Peter and Karin, click here.
Stelling launched the Men United March live on Soccer Saturday last weekend, at the end of a first person piece on the fortunes of his beloved Hartlepool, the first time he has ever filed a report for the show.
Jeff said: “I deal in statistics – but the ones we are dealing with here are shocking. One man dies every hour from this disease, that’s six in the course of Soccer Saturday every week. One in eight men will get prostate cancer, and for black men the odds are even worse at one in four.
“Prostate cancer is not discerning. It doesn’t just hit the bad guys; it’s the good guys as well. I’ve got friends such as Sky Sports rugby league colleagues Bill Arthur and Eddie Hemmings who I have known longer than I care to remember. Both are great guys who have been affected by prostate cancer and I’ll be meeting more men like them along the way.
“That’s why I’ve signed up for this challenge. I’ve run marathons and climbed Kilimanjaro. There were also some nice fundraising opportunities to go and walk on the Great Wall of China or maybe go to Peru, but they sounded too much like jollies to me. I wanted to do something where people could see I was feeling the pain on behalf of a fantastic cause.
“Within the next ten years Prostate Cancer UK believes they will find the answers to make this disease something men and their loved ones no longer fear. I’ve met the scientists who pledge to do this and I can see how dedicated they are. But do to this we need to raise vital funds – and I need everyone to support me and all the men affected by prostate cancer by visiting menunitedmarch.org and pledging their support.”
Prostate Cancer UK is the Official Charity Partner of The Football League and 25 clubs are represented along the route, through the heartlands of England. He will arrive at Burton Albion on Good Friday (March 25th) and walk onto the pitch ahead of the Brewers’ League One clash with Oldham Athletic.
Stelling will also stop off at five Premier League clubs as well as Non-League side St Albans City before an emotional finale along Wembley Way on March 30th.
Angela Culhane, Chief Executive of Prostate Cancer UK, said: “Jeff’s been a huge supporter of ours for many years, and has seen first hand the dangers of this disease through some of his closest friends in the business, and we are fully behind him on his epic Men United March.
“Walking 10 marathons in 10 days is a remarkable challenge. With each and every step Jeff and those who support him will help us as we tackle prostate cancer head on.
“The power of football consistently helps us reach out to men. We are very grateful for the continued backing from Jeff’s colleagues at Sky as well in allowing him to take this on.
“This challenge is once again a perfect example of what we call Men United; people getting together and doing something great to beat prostate cancer. On behalf of everyone affected by this disease I say thanks, and in the words of his long-time colleague Chris Kamara, it’s ‘Unbelievable Jeff’.”
To support Jeff, and find out more about his challenge, visit menunitedmarch.org.
If you want to join Jeff, Peter, Karin, James and Scunny Bunny on the day three leg, you can email Prostate Cancer here for further details.
Also, if you wish to sponsor Peter and Karin, click here.
Stelling launched the Men United March live on Soccer Saturday last weekend, at the end of a first person piece on the fortunes of his beloved Hartlepool, the first time he has ever filed a report for the show.
Jeff said: “I deal in statistics – but the ones we are dealing with here are shocking. One man dies every hour from this disease, that’s six in the course of Soccer Saturday every week. One in eight men will get prostate cancer, and for black men the odds are even worse at one in four.
“Prostate cancer is not discerning. It doesn’t just hit the bad guys; it’s the good guys as well. I’ve got friends such as Sky Sports rugby league colleagues Bill Arthur and Eddie Hemmings who I have known longer than I care to remember. Both are great guys who have been affected by prostate cancer and I’ll be meeting more men like them along the way.
“That’s why I’ve signed up for this challenge. I’ve run marathons and climbed Kilimanjaro. There were also some nice fundraising opportunities to go and walk on the Great Wall of China or maybe go to Peru, but they sounded too much like jollies to me. I wanted to do something where people could see I was feeling the pain on behalf of a fantastic cause.
“Within the next ten years Prostate Cancer UK believes they will find the answers to make this disease something men and their loved ones no longer fear. I’ve met the scientists who pledge to do this and I can see how dedicated they are. But do to this we need to raise vital funds – and I need everyone to support me and all the men affected by prostate cancer by visiting menunitedmarch.org and pledging their support.”
Prostate Cancer UK is the Official Charity Partner of The Football League and 25 clubs are represented along the route, through the heartlands of England. He will arrive at Burton Albion on Good Friday (March 25th) and walk onto the pitch ahead of the Brewers’ League One clash with Oldham Athletic.
Stelling will also stop off at five Premier League clubs as well as Non-League side St Albans City before an emotional finale along Wembley Way on March 30th.
Angela Culhane, Chief Executive of Prostate Cancer UK, said: “Jeff’s been a huge supporter of ours for many years, and has seen first hand the dangers of this disease through some of his closest friends in the business, and we are fully behind him on his epic Men United March.
“Walking 10 marathons in 10 days is a remarkable challenge. With each and every step Jeff and those who support him will help us as we tackle prostate cancer head on.
“The power of football consistently helps us reach out to men. We are very grateful for the continued backing from Jeff’s colleagues at Sky as well in allowing him to take this on.
“This challenge is once again a perfect example of what we call Men United; people getting together and doing something great to beat prostate cancer. On behalf of everyone affected by this disease I say thanks, and in the words of his long-time colleague Chris Kamara, it’s ‘Unbelievable Jeff’.”
To support Jeff, and find out more about his challenge, visit menunitedmarch.org.
Not able to take part, but want to welcome the group to Glanford Park at the end of the marathon? Arrive at Glanford Park's Sir Ian Botham Executive Lounge, which will be open, with more detailed to be confirmed nearer the time.
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