A Glastonbury man is preparing to climb Mont Blanc, cycle 875km, row across the English Channel and run 120km to Buckingham Palace in memory of his father, who died from a rare and aggressive cancer.

Henry Quinlan, 33, who runs eco-supermarket Earthfare in Glastonbury, will begin the multi-stage 'Peak 2 Palace' challenge this June. The tribute is in honour of his father Andrew, a former Royal Marine and businessman who died in November 2022 after being diagnosed with retroperitoneal liposarcoma.

Andrew was first diagnosed in May 2022 after experiencing abdominal and back pain. Initial scans showed a tumour measuring 10 x 5cm, which later doubled in size and was eventually confirmed to be a rare and aggressive soft tissue sarcoma.

A tumour the size of a rugby ball was found in Andrew's abdomen, and although it was borderline inoperable, he underwent major surgery in July. Despite a strong recovery and achieving his goal of walking his daughter down the aisle that September, further scans just weeks later revealed two new tumours. Andrew died ten days after starting chemotherapy, aged 59.

Henry said: "My dad was my hero. He was my role model. But sarcoma – a rare and aggressive form of cancer – took him from us far too soon."

He added: "I am so proud to have been in business with my dad, and I learnt a huge amount from him, so it is nice to wake up every day to do something me and my dad created and achieved together."

Henry will complete the challenge alongside his father-in-law Damian, 51, from Harrogate. The event will include three days of climbing Mont Blanc, eight days of cycling, two days of rowing across the English Channel in shifts, and a three-day run to Buckingham Palace.

"I wanted to do something pretty extreme," said Henry. "I was on holiday with Damian last year and asked him after a few beers."

Henry has been training five days a week, lifting weights, running, cycling and using a rowing machine. He previously raised £220,000 for a mental health charity in 2017 by pedalling across the Atlantic from the Canary Islands to Antigua in a four-man pedalo.

Dr Sorrel Bickley, Director of Research, Policy and Support at Sarcoma UK, said Andrew's story highlights the urgent need for more effective treatments.

"Despite surgery initially seeming successful, the cancer returned, and, sadly, chemotherapy couldn't save his life," she said.

Sarcoma UK is currently funding more than £402,000 worth of research into liposarcoma at the University of Southampton. This includes new lab models to study immune response and identify genetic changes that could lead to targeted treatments.

"Stories like Andrew's drive our commitment to funding innovative research that gives future sarcoma patients better chances of survival and quality of life," Dr Bickley added.

To support Henry's challenge and donate to Sarcoma UK, click here.