Barwell Motorsport is delighted to announce a new partnership with The Cancer Club, a rapidly growing charity working to get men talking and changing the way people live with the disease.
Unveiled in the pit lane at Brands Hatch, Barwell’s twin Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2s will wear the logos of The Cancer Club prominently across the final two events of the British GT Championship season. This marks the latest development in a long-running link to the charity, with Barwell regularly hosting members of The Cancer Club at events across the last few seasons, but now is the time to work to raise greater awareness publicly of what is a fantastic cause.
Founded in 2020 by the late Matthew Wiltshire, The Cancer Club uses sport as a bridge to connect men battling with cancer and encourage more open discussion about living with the disease. The charity uses a range of sporting events, from motor racing to football, rugby and more, creating communities of members while raising funds for both support and research into male cancers.
The charity offers both physical events, and also drives virtual interaction through messaging communities such as WhatsApp, meaning members can stay connected to support networks at all times.
The charity was born after Matthew Wiltshire was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2015, prompting a long-running battle with the disease up until his passing in September 2023. During his fight, Wiltshire continued to live life to the fullest, but also struggled to find other men in the same boat to share his experiences with. He created BowelBloke.com as a way to raise awareness of the disease and to begin raising charitable funds. The Cancer Club was established a few years later, to bring men suffering with cancer together, so the burden of the illness could be shared and some light relief found.
Today, Matthew’s sons Oliver and Charlie, alongside a team of other trustees, continue the amazing work of The Cancer Club, helping to unite men facing advanced stage cancers through a shared love of sport.
For more information on The Cancer Club, to become a member or to make a donation, visit thecancerclub.org.uk.
“The Cancer Club is a charity very close to my heart as its founder, Matt Wiltshire, was a great friend of mine. I find it so inspiring how he not only fought the disease, but began a charity to support others in the same position, and it’s great to see that legacy not just continuing, but accelerating today and growing into a real community that offers invaluable support to its members. “Getting men talking is hugely important in so many facets of modern life. Communication is so vital to mental and physical health, and even in running a racing team! I’m delighted for our cars to proudly wear The Cancer Club logos and sincerely hope we can play a small part in growing awareness of an amazing cause.”
“I'd like to thank Barwell Motorsport for the opportunity to showcase the work our charity does to support men with cancer, and in particular helping with our aim to ‘Get men talking’. To have the charity logo represented on the two Barwell cars for the remainder of the British GT Championship season is fantastic.
“The Cancer Club ethos is, and always will be, to ‘Help get men talking’. Men have traditionally found it hard to discuss their feelings. As a result, many bottle things up which is detrimental to their health and mental wellbeing. When I was diagnosed with Bowel Cancer in September 2020, I remember feeling so alone. I was lucky to have a supportive family around me, but I didn't know anyone, at that time, who was going through the same thing, and I needed help. The Cancer Club gave me that help and support when I needed it most, throughout my treatment and recovery.
“The Cancer Club has now grown to support over 130 current members. The WhatsApp Community has now developed into 20+ different sub-groups. We also have groups for Health & Fitness, Mental Health, Sport etc. The events we organise enable members to meet face-to-face in an environment where they can share experiences, but also enjoy some terrific sport as well. The partnership with Barwell has been a brilliant example of how well this can work. Members are always blown away by the hospitality shown to them by the team and The Cancer Club continues to be very grateful for its support, and long may that continue.”
