Shameless promotion - Gordon Buckley's son, Tom

[Background Noise]

Many readers on here will have known Gordon Buckley from his time in the RAF and more recently with Flybe. Well it seems that a lot of his drive and determination have rubbed off on his son Tom. He was born with cancer and lost an eye at a very early stage. Recently, his disease has returned and at the age of 23 he has been diagnosed as terminally ill.

He has set himself a pretty epic challenge, given his condition, to complete the Coast-to-Coast walk in support of the Christie Hospital in Manchester. You can see more about this inspirational young man in the following press and BBC pages. I defy you to be unmoved.

The South Manchester Reporter - Tom's Walk of Courage (http://www.southmanchesterreporter.co.uk/news/s/1074301_toms_walk_of_courage)

BBC News - On day 5, Thursday, in the snow at Patterdale (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7766082.stm)

Tom's Just Giving Page - 'Making a molehill out of some mountains' (http://www.justgiving.com/thebuckers)

[Ewan Whosearmy]

Good luck to him.

I don't know if I could have been so philosophical about things at his age, or indeed now.

[Al R]

What a cracking young man. Good luck Tom.

[Flying_Scotsman]

If the expected Lat/Long were available, could those in the LFA give Buckers and Tom some moral support?

[Chris Kebab]

..Gordon Buckley DFC no less.

Good luck Tom.

[It's only Me]

A challenge indeed. My Family and I walked this route 18 months ago for charity. However, we are all fit and well and the weather was great.

Good luck from It's only Us

[Background Noise]

Over one thousand views in 24hrs - thank you so much.

Perhaps, if you are moved to contribute - or even if you are just moved - a brief encouraging comment could be added to this thread? That will also keep it popping to the top - at least for the next week or so while he's out there.

[Daifly]

Back to the top.

- Given that I've sat inside suffering from man flu this weekend thinking "it's a bit too cold to go out" it's rather put me to shame.

Amazing effort.

[Judge Rembrandt]

Tom,
When you get to read this thread –

I’m sorry to say that I have never met you – but that is my loss. A fantastic achievement by a courageous and inspirational young man, well done Tom.

Truly humbled,
J R
:D

[biddedout]

And back to the top again.
MODS. Please could you make this sticky if only until the end of the walk.

Thanks.


Edit: Sorry no, but you can bump it to the top as often as you like.

[anotherthing]

What a fantastic chap, and family! Giving back to the people who have looked after him not just money, but the effort that must be involved.

It's just a shame that whilst this type of selflishness and charity exists, other NHS authorities are turning away cancer sufferers (the one below happens to be ex-services) based on where the live...


American Man Offers To Pay For Cancer Drug Refused by NHS So Dad Jack Rosser Can See Daughter Grow | UK News | Sky News (http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/American-Man-Offers-To-Pay-For-Cancer-Drug-Refused-by-NHS-So-Dad-Jack-Rosser-Can-See-Daughter-Grow/Article/200812215174349?lpos=UK_News_News_Your_Way_Region_6&lid=NewsYourWay_ARTICLE_15174349_American_Man_Offers_To_Pay_ For_Cancer_Drug_Refused_by_NHS_So_Dad_Jack_Rosser_Can_See_Da ughter_Grow)

[AirportsEd]

What an amazing young man - good luck to him and his family.

[QQ44QQ]

Tom's Just Giving Page - 'Making a molehill out of some mountains'

[bakseetblatherer]

Good luck Tom, enjoy your walk...I've done it and it was nice....part from the rain and mud ;)

[racedo]

Totally shameless. Should be ashamed of yourself.:ok:

Me should be ashamed as well as bumping it back to top and copying it onto some other forums to get some pennies squeezed out of people.

Nothing better to do than annoying people to keep changing their targets upwards as more people donate.

[DICKYTICKER]

Good luck Tom,
An inspiration to us all, head down and go for it!! lets hope you have a tail wind to help you along.

[bluesilk]

What an incredible young man. I feel totally humbled by your extraordinary courage, Tom. Like another poster I have never met you and like him that is my loss. Good luck and God bless.

[Madbob]

Thank you for posting this on PPRuNe. I have just made a modest donation as a direct result of your post. What a brave young man. The funds raised now total £24,470!:D

For the Mods, what is the objection to making this a sticky, at least until the walk is completed? Posts like this one really make one proud and are IMHO totally in keeping with the ethos and ideals of the majority of PPRuNeRs.

MB

[biddedout]

It looks like he has done it!:ok::):) £25,000 plus a load of tax back from Gordon Brown.

Well done Tom, but no stopping. Just a few more days to go.
Hope your dad is manging to keep up.;)

[TommyOv]

What a brilliant effort. Christies is just down the road from me, and is a really worthy cause.

All the best on your walk Tom, it's a brilliant undertaking. Enjoy it!

Tom

:ok:

[unowho]

Just a short note to say keep up the good work. And what is next on your list of things to do.

If you are anything like your dad You Will Suceed.

Buckers and Dawn you should be very proud of him. He is an inspiration to us all.

Stroppy Jock

[pzu]

1400 Wed 10 Dec

Just been on Tyne Tees local - showing Tom in Richmond (yesterday ?), which is as per schedule;:ok:

And if so, he should be passing the end of my road (Northallerton) sometime tomorrow;

Keep Going:ok:

PZU - Out of Africa (Retired)

[racedo]

Heading for in excess of £30k within next couple of hours.

and it Bumps it as well :)

Well done OP as a worthy post.

[Gen. Jack D Ripper]

Truely, truely inspirational! Well done, young man!

Christies is a worthwhile & very noble cause.... as is making this thread "Sticky"......
:ok:

[Molemot]

Just put in my contribution...looks like he will easily exceed his target. Well done. Can't for the life of me see why this isn't a sticky.

[John Nichol]

£29.758.50 as at 1635 - with a great showing from ppruners.

Buckers Snr was my Flt Cdr on XV. Those who know him will also know that Tom must have inherited some of his Dad's courage and fortitude.

Keep it up Tom - you are an excellent example to all.

[Ivor Fynn]

Same as you JN Buckers was my Flt Cdr on XV. Great to see them both doing so well, and raising so much.

Well done Tom, hope your Dad can keep up!!


Ivor:D:D:D

[John Nichol]

and now due to a truly stunning donation by some kind (anon) soul of £1000 - Tom has cracked his £30k barrier.

Well done Tom - Excellent effort

[Background Noise]

Awesome response chaps - thanks again. We don't need this to be kept at the top by some computer trickery, individual comment will do that.

This piece on ITV Tyne Tees (http://www.itvlocal.com/tynetees/news/?player=TYN_News_15&void=267584) is pretty emotional. If that stops working, go to itvlocal.com/tynetees and look for a topic titles 'Coast to coast charity cycle'. (I've emailed to explain the difference!) Or search the site for Tom Buckley.

[Dave Angel]

Have visited his site and donated. It felt such an insignificant gesture compared to what he is putting himself through. I never cease to be amazed at how people like Tom cope with the hand they have been dealt.
He is truely inspirational and his selfless efforts will benefit many people who, like me, will not have the pleasure of knowing him.

[spottyemm]

I'm another ex XV man. Words fail me...donation made

Simply awesome(unlike some of Buckers jokes).

[Molemot]

Back to the top, chaps....

[JustAnotherVictim]

And again.....

[racedo]

and again

[Dave Angel]

Boing.
Back to the top.

[Ivor Fynn]

B O I N G!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ivor

[Jude]

What an amazing fellow.

B O I N G !

[airborne_artist]

Someone keeps raising his target - he's got £ 33,753.00 so far :ok:

[winkle]

A true hero, well done young man.

[ID90]

Past £35k now - well done! :D

[Geoff Shep]

Well, I went out walking with him and his dad today. What a chap. It broke me but he was driving on, despite a disability in his left leg from treatment and reconstructive surgery and some injuries acquired along the way. Weather was good to start with and then, once we got up into cloud, it must have been 20+kts with a fair amount of wind chill. We remained in cloud for the rest of the day.

He is massively motivated by the scale of the donations and repaying them is now as important to him as the original challenge. The rest you can read on his blog on the justgiving page but it was a great honour and something I will remember.

[spoff]

Top Bloke!!

Inspirational stuff, to the top......

[Molemot]

Back up again...

[anotherthing]

Back to the top.

It's the final few days of the walk, guys (and gals) if you are on Facebook and you haven't done so already, please join Tom's Facebook group at

Coast2Coast for the Young Oncology Unit, Christie Hospital, Manchester | Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=42670760358&ref=ts)

then invite all your contacts to

a. Donate

and

b. Join the Facebook group themselves so that they can in turn invite all their contacts to repeat the process...

Help Tom break the £40k barrier!!

[racedo]

Bumpedy Bump

[nanocas]

This thread has seriously touched me! what an inspiration, I am just out of words! My thoughts with you Tom!!!

[EdVFX]

A bump, and a few more quid into Tom's charity pot from me.

[racedo]

This thread has got more bumps than a vomit comet hitting turbulence and its worth another.

[im from uranus]

Go Tom, Go!
A truly magnificent effort. You are an inspiration to us all. Cheers :ok:


On a 'lighter' note, but still worth a mention, a young man who walked a long way to say 'sorry!' and wants to join the Marines. All the best to Seb. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/dorset/7782372.stm)

[McDuff]

Yesterday seems to have been a bit of a bad day; I think that some inspirational support is needed from everyone.

Well done Tom! Go Buckers, go!

McD

[Al R]

.. if they're reading this, they can certainly have some from me.

Keep going Tom. :D

[unowho]

Well done Tom, it is all down hill now. Enjoy your last day of this great trek. I wish I was in UK to be there to welcome you to the North Sea.

Rgds Stroppy

Prunners Please help Tom beat his latest target.

[TEEEJ]

Back to the top!

Well done, Tom!

:ok: :D

[EdVFX]

Another bump.

Tom has now raised £40,000 in time for his last day of walking.

Well done that man.

[spottyemm]

Great Man and a great cause...humbling.

Boing:ok:

[unowho]

BBC NEWS | England | Charity walk success (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7786136.stm)

This is the link to the BBC. Not much coverage for such an achievement.

WELL DONE TOM our thoughts are with you and your family. Merry Christmas.

[exscribbler]

Tom, his twin sister, Jennifer, and his Dad were on Look North tonight.

BBC NEWS | England | Dying man's charity walk (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7786112.stm)

What an inspirational young man! BZ, Tom.

[Molemot]

Well, he made it...did any of us doubt him? I think not...his target has gone up to £50,000 and there's about £5k to go..so it's donations time, troops!! Hence this bump to the top again.....

[Ivor Fynn]

Tom has hit the £50,000 mark plus £11,000+ from Darling.

As I was once told on XV Sqn

'when you're this awesome who needs stealth'

Tom a truely awesome effort - many people including myself are humbled by your effort and determination.

Ivor:D:D:D:D:D

[Gnomex]

Done my bit (a bit late I admit but better late than never and the cause is still as worthwhile).

Back to the top?

[Zorst]

Bump again.

This brave young man is £333.50 from raising £60K (he set out hoping to gather a few hundred together for a very worthy cause).

I've done my bit - can a few more of us chip in and make his success even more worthwhile?

(Here's a tip - read his account of Day 18, and if you laugh at his pithy remarks about this year's X-Factor 'winner', bung him a tenner!)

[Gnomex]

"I've done my bit - can a few more of us chip in and make his success even more worthwhile?

(Here's a tip - read his account of Day 18, and if you laugh at his pithy remarks about this year's X-Factor 'winner', bung him a tenner!)"

The latter part really sums it up for me. (GCSE English - Write an essay comparing the committment, determination and achievement of the current 'X' Factor winner and this remarkable young man). As for the former, why stop at £60k??????

[eastern wiseguy]

Bump again......humbling effort ............:ok:

[Gnomex]

Total now over £70,000 !!

Any more want to put in a few pennies for this remarkable cause?

[lancs]

From Facebook, by Tom (join clicky (http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=42670760358))...

"I never set out to win any awards or anything, but just found out I've been given the opportunity to win a certain award - with other hopefuls including Ronaldo and Ryan Giggs.

If you'd like to vote for me, I would be very happy!

Thanks

http://www.prideofmanchester.com/awards/2008.htm (http://www.prideofmanchester.com/awards/2008.htm)"

I had a quick look at the site - appears you need to be a member of the organisation to vote (only 16000 people). Surely someone can sort this out?

[John Nichol]

Nope - you don't have to be a member. Just pop in your name and an email address and vote for Tom.

He truly deserves it.

[racedo]

You do have to be a member as they state they will only count the votes of those on their membership list. Easy to sign up.

As a United fan I saw the list and for a brief second was tempted but then gave it to someone who deserves it.

[John Nichol]

Sorry - RTFQ - I'm a Muppet! Now joined and voted

[D O Guerrero]

What an inspiration. Back to the top.


This should, however, be a sticky.

[racedo]

Pride Of Manchester Awards 2008-09 (http://www.prideofmanchester.com/awards/2008ix.htm)

Good News as he made the Shortlist

List is
Tom Buckley
Sir Alex Ferguson
Guy Garvey
Sir Chris Hoy
Russel Watson

Think SAF would be happy not to win this.

[racedo]

Bump again

As A Man Utd fan it is nice to see that Wilf McGuinnes / David Sadler and Ex Man Utd Players association have contrinuted £5k to the appeal.

Now I wonder would the current ones contribute something if asked.

[eaw]

Well done Tom!!!!

An exceptional achievement from an exceptional young man.:ok::ok::ok::ok::ok::ok:

[Gnomex]

An exceptional young man indeed. And far more deserved than those egotistical self-serving people one sees far too often in the media.

Do I detect (from this and other articles in the public arena) that we are, just perhaps, begining to see a ground swell away from the "famous for being famous" era?

[John Nichol]

Well done on the award Tom - well deserved. Especially as you have now raised over £80,000. A truly remarkable achievement.

I know your family are very proud of you.

[Background Noise]

Direct link to winners page: Pride Of Manchester Awards 2008-09 (http://www.prideofmanchester.com/awards/2008vii-winners.htm)

[Ivor Fynn]

Well done Tom,

A well deserved winner, I know your Dad, Mum and sister are justly proud of you.

"Aim Sure"

Ivor:D:D:D

[airborne_artist]

That's the second time today I got some dust in my eye. Time to berate the cleaners, me thinks.

Well done Tom :ok:

[racedo]

Bumped back to the top as worth seeing again ....Did a search without reading to the last post as hadn't seen the result and he won.

Maybe ballot was a bit rigged and will happily attest to doing some of it but He is a worthy winner.:ok:

[Ivor Fynn]

I am truely saddened to learn from the BBC North West News tonight that Tom lost his battle against cancer yesterday.

Tom you were an inspiration to so many people, and will leave a lasting legacy as an example to so many.

A credit to Gordon, Dawn and Jennifer.

Condolences

Ivor Fynn:(:(:(

[racedo]

I am truely saddened to learn from the BBC North West News tonight that Tom lost his battle against cancer yesterday.

Was think yesterday and wondering how he was.

An inspirational young man.

[EdVFX]

Very sad news. His family should be extremely proud of Tom, and what he achieved with his life. I offer them my most sincere condolences.

[Madbob]

Very sad, though not unexpected news. I was motivated to make a modest donation on the 9th December, and am so glad I did. As I said then, what a brave young man. He was, and I meant it.

My condolences to his family and all his friends.

MB

[X767]

Very sad news. His courage and fortitude were an example to us all.
My prayers are with Gordon and all the family

[busidriver]

My deepest condolences to the Buckleys.

[Judge Rembrandt]

My sincere condolences to the Buckley Family and Friends over the loss of Tom. I hope they find some solace in his courage, strength of character and example he set.
Respectfully
JR

[shobakker]

My condolences to the family. A truly inspirational young man.