Meet the Newry man cycling across Northern Ireland for Pancreatic Cancer

In less than two weeks, a Newry man will join a team of ten cyclists taking on a gruelling 480-mile challenge across Northern Ireland to raise vital funds for pancreatic cancer.

Kalvin Kenny, who lives in Newry, will be taking part in this year’s Pedal the Periphery, a major fundraiser organised by Northern Ireland Pancreatic Cancer (NIPANC). The challenge will see 20+ teams from across Northern Ireland cycle the full perimeter of the country in just 48 hours.

He’ll be riding alongside staff from Beaumont Care Homes, where his mother, Lynda Kenny, has worked for over 5 years. The team, named The Beaumont Roykets, is cycling in memory of Roy McLaughlin, the late husband of Susan McLaughlin, a much-loved colleague and Care Quality Manager at Beaumont.

Susan lost her first husband, Colin Cooke, to pancreatic cancer - a loss that led her to become a founding member of NIPANC, dedicated to improving early detection and raising awareness of the disease. Her second husband, Roy, who sadly passed away late last year, stood proudly by her side through all her work with the charity and was equally devoted to the charity’s mission. Speaking about why the event means so much to him, Kalvin said:

“We’re doing this for Roy, for Susan, and for everyone affected by this cruel disease. I’ve run marathons before but I’m no professional cyclist, so this will be a tough but rewarding challenge. We’re giving it everything we’ve got because we’ve seen first-hand the devastating impact pancreatic cancer can have,”

“Northern Ireland has one of the worst five-year survival rates in the world, so it’s vital that we raise both awareness and funds to help change that.”

Each member of the Beaumont Roykets team will cycle up to 48 miles, collectively covering the full 480-mile route. With a timeline of 48 hours, they’ll have to cycle around the clock and through the night to complete the challenge.

Pancreatic cancer receives five times less funding than many other common cancers, and is often diagnosed far too late for treatment to be effective. Shockingly, three out of five patients could have had life-saving surgery if their cancer had been detected earlier. That’s why Pedal the Periphery is about more than just fundraising — it’s about shining a light on a disease that’s severely underfunded in Northern Ireland, raising awareness, and helping people recognise the symptoms before it’s too late.

Taking place 6th-8th June, Kalvin and his team are already training hard and urging the local community to back them.

To support the Beaumont Roykets and find out more, visit: https://nipanc.enthuse.com/pf/the-beaumont-roykets