Northumberland man to hold 24-hour Dr Who card gaming marathon to raise money for cancer charity

David Gair, from Bedlington, was diagnosed with bowel cancer around Christmas 2019 and following an operation, he was given the all clear.

The 62-year-old is still in a five-year monitoring period in case the cancer returns; however, he still remains cancer free as we approach Christmas 2023.

Following his ordeal, David is now raising money for Cancer Research UK as a way of giving back for the care that he received.

At the time of writing, he has beaten his £700 target by raising £850 and now has his eyes set on a 24-hour gaming marathon after Christmas to acknowledge the achievement.

David will be playing the Dr Who pack of Magic: The Gathering at the Northumbrian Tin Soldier, on West Percy Street in North Shields, with the mammoth challenge set to be live-streamed online.

As he prepares for the challenge, David has told NewcastleWorld where the idea came from and highlighted that anyone can get involved with the event.

He said: "I've always been a bit of a geek, I was really into Dungeons & Dragons when that started to rise in popularity during the early 80s.

"I then got involved with Warhammer and miniature models before my wife, Anne, and I played Magic: The Gathering for the first time just before last Christmas.

"I've been hooked ever since and go along to the Northumbrian Tin Soldier every Thursday evening as they hold a games night.

"I've never been particularly sporty so an exercise challenge is out of the question but I thought that this would be a good way for me to raise money.

"I do often wonder what I've gotten myself in for but thankfully the shop has been very supportive of it and loads of local players have said they will come in, especially overnight, to play and keep me going. "I've always been fan of Dr Who so when they released the cards, I had to buy the full set, plus it is nice that it will tie in with the 60th anniversary of the show.

"As I've got every deck for the Dr Who set, it means that anyone can come along and play during the event."

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David also expressed his delight at the amount of money that he has raised so far, stating his surprise at how well it has gone.

He added: "It is just unbelievable, I honestly didn't think that I'd reach my target of £700 so it is incredible to have gone beyond it.

"It turns out that I've had a lot more support that I thought I would get which has absolutely flabbergasted me.

"Hopefully as we build up towards the event, we can raise some more money."

A date for David's 24-hour Magic: The Gathering marathon is yet to be set; however, it will be some time after Christmas.

If you wish to view or donate to David's fundraiser, you can do so by visiting: https://www.gofundme.com/f/daveys-magic-fundraiser-for-cancer-research.