A SPANISH nurse living in North Yorkshire, will travel to Nicaragua in September to raise vital funds for Yorkshire Cancer Research.

Juan Dual, who currently works as a waiter at the Kings Head Hotel, Masham, decided to raise money for the charity after undergoing surgery to prevent colorectal cancer.

The 30-year-old was diagnosed with familial adenomatous polyposis, a rare condition which runs in his family, 10 years ago. The condition causes hundreds or thousands of small growths called polyps to grow in the large bowel. If these polyps aren’t treated, some of them are likely to develop into cancer. He has since had his stomach, rectum and colon removed and underwent his last surgery in 2013.

Mr Dual has already completed several challenges in preparation for his trip across the Atlantic.

Once in Nicaragua he will spend five months taking part in cycling and running challenges while volunteering at a local school, before completing the Fire and Water 25K trail in Playa Santo Domingo, Isla de Ometepe.

After this, he will cycle 4,400 miles to Ushuaia, the most southern reachable point in South America.

He said: “I’ve always been an active guy and I realised that life is so short following my surgeries. Now that I’ve recovered, I want to experience life again and take myself on new adventures instead of sitting at home watching TV."

To donate visit justgiving.com/Juan-Dual/ and follow his progress at www.runnife.com.