After Sean McBrien (46) was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, his friends and family rallied around him to support the popular Bellanaleck man.

Sean is a fitness fanatic, an active member of the Mill Runners in Florencecourt and a keen cyclist, this was considered when fundraising and the Mill Runners opted to run a fitness fundraiser, running four miles every four hours over a 24 hour period.

The race which was ran in September and an accompanying bake sale raised £18,900 for various charities.

Sean is currently in remission from pancreatic cancer after receiving clear bloods and scans.

Sean made presentations recently to four charities and organisations. The Mater Hospital (£5,800) The Bridgewater suite at City Hospital (£5,800), NI Panc (£5,800) and the Rapid Response team (£1,500). The money will be used in various ways for each organisation to support cancer patients. the moeny donated tp the Rapid Response team will be used to purchase a wheel chair for the transportation of patients.

Sean is currently in remission from pancreatic cancer after receiving clear bloods and scans.

Read more: Fitness fanatic’s shock diagnosis of pancreatic cancer prompts Sean to try to help alert others

Back in September 2020 he told this newspaper about the shock of being diagnosed pancreatic cancer aged 45.

He said: "I had been feeling unwell for a few weeks. Noticing small signs of illness; fatigue, a lingering cough that I couldn’t shake, and weight loss.

Some doctors thought it was potentially gallstone problems. The thought of cancer never entered my head. I thought it was gallstones.

“Looking back when they showed me the different symptoms. I realised what it was.”

Symptoms of pancreatic cancer include, fatigue, pain in the back or stomach area, unexpected weight loss, and jaundice.

Sean was incredibly thankful to the community in Fermanagh for their generous donations, he especially thanked the community in Bellanaleck for their support of him.

Now, Sean and his friends in the Mill Runners plan to use their successful fundraising to run further events for charity where proceeds will go to different charities.