Glasgow Warrior's Grayson Hart speaks about losing his dad

Scottish rugby player Grayson Hart has spoken out about losing his dad to cancer.

John McShane and Grayson Hart.

The Glasgow Warrior scrum-half lost his dad to melanoma in 2009 and is speaking about his personal experience to help raise funds for Stand Up To Cancer.

Grayson is calling on the budding survivalists to uncover their ‘warrior spirit’ when taking on the challenge to help further life-saving research.

The rugby player understands first-hand the importance of finding a cure for cancer and learning to survive. He was just 21 when his dad, Ian, passed away.

Grayson said: “Losing my dad to cancer has been the toughest challenge of my life.

“We had an incredibly close relationship and it was really hard to say goodbye when I was only 21.

“It really affected me at the time and my behaviour started to spiral. It’s true however; that the storms harden us and reaching out for support and learning to speak about things helped me through it.

“I wouldn’t be where I am today without my dad’s support, he’s with me on the pitch when I play and I take comfort knowing that he has the best view in the house.”

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The 5K and 10K Bear Grylls Survival Races are full of obstacles, challenges and fun, the latest of which is at Winton House, near Edinburgh on Saturday September 3.

This morning on Calton Hill in Scotland’s capital, Grayson delivered the ‘ultimate warrior’ lesson to brave cancer survivor John McShane, who discovered he had tonsil cancer in 2014.

Now cancer free and just months away from his fiftieth birthday, John is set to take on the Bear Grylls challenge with wife Marie.

By sharing their stories, Grayson and John both hope to inspire more people, men in particular, to ‘speak up’ about their own experiences and help bring forward the day when all cancers are cured.

John McShane said: “Facing cancer can be the loneliest time in your life. It’s a real cliché but true that you never think it’s going to happen to you. I was very lucky that support came from many places – my family, my employees and colleagues, great friends – but not everyone has that comfort. I know only too well how difficult it can be to face up to cancer, but as a survivor I now realise how important it is to speak up and encourage even more fundraising so we can all beat cancer sooner.

“I’m chuffed to bits to be working with Grayson and he’s given me some great advice on being bold and powering through what is going to be my latest challenge!”

ScottishPower is a sponsor of Stand Up To Cancer as part of its ongoing partnership with Cancer Research UK.

Since 2012 ScottishPower has raised more than £9 million for Cancer Research UK through a raft of initiatives.

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