Hi, my name is Lewis, and I wanted to give some context to what this is all about.

Once a year, Keele Rugby and Aerial Dance spend months rehearsing and practising to put on a show the university will remember. This is all done in support of charities chosen by both societies. This year, Aerial Dance have chosen to support Mind, while Rugby have chosen to support Rugby Against Cancer. Unfortunately this year we faced some challenges we just couldn't overcome. We look at the mountain we had to overcome... and decided to climb a mountain instead. Snowdon at midnight here we come.

Rugby Against Cancer (RAC) have supported thousands of people within the rugby community who have battled cancer, promoting and demonstrating how the values of the sport can be used in everyday life to support people through some of the toughest times they will ever face.

I’ve personally interacted with RAC through their Sock Takeover Days. My old club took part to support Nick Morgan, one of our coaches, and also my dad. The look on my dad’s face when he learned about RAC and what they do will forever stay with me as a hugely positive moment.

It’s coming up to 15 months since losing him, but my desire to support those facing similar situations has never been stronger. We were incredibly lucky to be surrounded by an amazing group of friends and family, and some of the strongest support we received came from people we knew through rugby. It showed me that rugby is so much more than just a sport — it’s a caring way of life that can lift people up from their lowest points. I truly hope more people are able to find the kind of support it can bring. It was there for me when I needed it most, and that will always mean something special.

Donations from this page will go towards a combination of care initiatives and vital research, helping to make life just that little bit easier for people facing something as horrid as cancer. Even the smallest donation can genuinely change someone’s life.

I can only speak from my own experiences, but I hope I speak for the many players, members, and supporters throughout my rugby career who have been affected by cancer. If there’s anything we can do to band together and fight it, then we have to give it everything we’ve got. And if a group of friends coming together at university to do something a bit silly like dance around, or climb snowdon, can help support this cause and the community behind it, then I can’t see why we shouldn’t.