A KIND-HEARTED North Berwick cancer patient has raised more than £500 for Cancer Research UK by standing up to cancer for an entire day.

Matt Lebaschi, a retired engineer, lives with his wife Diana in North Berwick and previously worked in the oil and gas industry for more than 30 years.

Matt was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma cancer called Chronic Lymphocyte Leukaemia (CLL) in 2015.

Since then, he has been in and out of hospitals in Edinburgh for various operations, radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

In November 2019, he became vegan, which he believes “helped in normalising my blood counts”.

He now returns to hospital twice a year for observations to monitor the cancer.

Matt and his wife are members of the Bass Rock Community Group, which was formed earlier this year as a satellite of the Rotary Global Hub, Rotary International’s online arm.

Matt was inspired to raise funds after seeing the Channel 4 nationwide appeal Stand Up To Cancer.

He said: “More needs to be done – that is why I decided to do something about it by raising money for further research and development, and hoping to make a better life for others and those we love.

“I decided to participate in this fundraising event and stand up to cancer all day.

“We had an open house and served tea, coffee and cake to all who could manage to drop in, have a chat and support me with their stories.

“As a cancer patient myself, I know how important research and development (R&D) is to identify new drugs and remedies to cure numerous types of cancers.

“It is not good news when you hear that you or a loved one has cancer.

“It hits you hard and you can only hope and pray that there is a cure for it.”

Matt added that he had received support and prayers from his church, family and friends, which helped him “get through a dark period in my life”.

He added: “My haematologist and the NHS staff were wonderful during my radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatments, and they were doing their best with all available medication at their disposal.

“I know that I am not alone in this predicament and the heartbreak that some would not survive even with the latest medical intervention.

“Unfortunately, cancer doesn’t have any regard for age, gender, ethnicity or religious beliefs, it is a killer and the only way to defeat it is to stand up to it.”

Matt raised £630 for Cancer Research UK and thanked the support of his wife, friends and family, and those who donated.

He added: “This money will support researchers to get new tests and treatments across the line faster, so more lives get saved.

“I asked everybody to dig deep and donate, because if we work together, we can beat cancer at its own game.”