Sale man suffering from incurable blood cancer is planning spending the night at the North Pole

A Sale man – suffering  from incurable blood cancer – is to finally fulfil  a lifelong dream, to spend a night at the North Pole.

Chris Harrop,aged 49, of Atkinson Road in Sale, was originally planning to ski to the North Pole in 2015, but it was only when he had a last minute health check he discovered he had chronic myeloid leukaemia.

“You can imagine my shock. It was devastating news, especially when the doctor told me that it was incurable.  It was my wife – Joanne – who suggested the health check up – I guess she sensed something was wrong.  But without her intervention I would not be here today.

”I received treatment and still have to take chemotherapy drugs every day – but I’m still here, and every day is a bonus.

“We talked about it when the news came through and we were very positive. I was not going to let the leukaemia win. I was going to beat it.  But all my plans for the trip had to be scrapped.  But I vowed to get to the North Pole one day.

Now after a two year wait  Chris is getting nearer to his dream.

‘I am doing it now to raise funds for Leukaemia CARE and to make people aware of the disease and to say to them that anything is possible if you have the belief and will to fight.

“It has always been a lifelong ambition of mine to make it to the Pole. It’s almost an obsession, but one that has carried me through the treatments, and chemotherapy.

“My wife Joanne has been incredible – she has been supporting me all the way, but she can’t be with me at the Pole, but without her help, encouragement and love – I would not be going.”

Now Chris its making final plans for a trip in April to the North Pole – but instead of skiing he will take several planes and a helicopter to get there, and spend a night under canvas in a specially constructed tent to withstand temperatures of -45 degrees.

”I hope to get there around about April 13 – depending on the weather conditions.  I have completed the Ray Mears Artic Survival course – so I am familiar with the hazards that may crop up. The extreme cold doesn’t phase me so much as the threat from polar bears….if I see one I’ll follow the advice and …….RUN!

“Actually it’s so cold up there  your breath freezes, your eyelids freeze up, and icicles form around your nose and eyebrows. Frostbite is the main worry.

“The ice cap is constantly moving so we have got a GPS device to tell us when we are at the North Pole. There will be eight of us spending the night there.”

Chris has launched a Just Giving page to raise funds for Leukaemia CARE and awareness  of the disease.   You can find out more at:-