BRIDGFORD DENTIST CLIMBS MONT BLANC

West Bridgford resident, Andrew Toy (52), successfully reached the 4800m summit of one of the highest mountains in the world to raise much needed awareness and funds for the UK’s leading mouth cancer charity, the Mouth Cancer Foundation.Andrew undertook the extreme challenge to climb up Mont Blanc alongside best friend, Trevor Riddiough. The pair were assisted up the thick perennial ice and snow by Trevor’s son Dai (18) and Andrew’s stepson Graham (21). Andrew has a professional connection with head, neck and mouth cancer in his daily work with patients. He also does a lot of lecturing around the UK in representing the FGDP (Faculty of General Dental Practice) as vice-chair of Research. However, this professional association drastically changed when very recently, Andrew’s friend and financial adviser, Stephen Mills, was diagnosed with a squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue. Andrew and Stephen both share a passion for the mountains. This encouraged Andrew to climb Mont Blanc for the Mouth Cancer Foundation. Andrew told The Local News: “Walking over the glaciers under the clearest of starry skies at 2am was spectacular.  Coming down was probably the most challenging, partly because, in daylight, we could actually see some of the crevasses we’d crossed.
“I know successful prevention, diagnosis and treatment of this disease comes as a result of investment in research and training and I hope my small efforts to raise some much needed funding and the profile of the Mouth Cancer Foundation will help others too.”
Mont Blanc lies between regions in Italy and France. Before attempting the ascent, it was necessary for the group to spend a few days with the guide on the nearby glaciers training with crampons, ropes and ice axe. They also had to stay overnight in a mountain hut to acclimatise so that altitude sickness didn’t occur.
To donate to Andy’s fundraising efforts visit his website at justgiving.com/AndyToy.