FOUR Helensburgh lads will take on an intense fitness challenge together next month after being inspired by family members’ cancer experiences.

Former Hermitage Academy pupils Brian Cameron, Andrew Shortt, Brendan Campbell and Jack Gorman, all from the Craigendoran area of the town, are training for the 4x4x48 challenge on March 5, created by retired Navy SEAL and endurance athlete David Goggins.

The quartet, all aged 23, will aim to run four miles every four hours for 48 hours, raising cash for the Beatson Cancer Charity.

The cause is extremely close to each of the young men’s hearts, with Brian’s mum, Helen, and his gran currently being treated at the charity’s specialist centre in Glasgow, while his dad recovered from thyroid cancer and Jack’s gran also overcame her own cancer diagnosis.

Andrew’s gran sadly passed away from the illness in 2015, and the group, who have been good pals since around the age of five, are now hoping to “give something back” to an organisation which has helped them all immensely over the years.

“The whole point of this is to give something back to the charity,” Brian said.

LATEST HEADLINES: £70m attempt to transform Argyll and Bute's economy is signed and sealed

“I’ve seen first hand all the wee stuff the charity does for my mum – giving her massages during treatment, reflexology, family care and things like that, so it’ll make a massive difference.

“It’s brilliant to have something that’s personal to us, and we know what the money will go towards and that it will make a difference.”

The boys have surpassed their initial £800 target in a matter of days, with more than £2,500 having been donated to their JustGiving page.

Brian said: “A lot of people who’ve donated have said it’s something that’s close to their heart, too, so it was a no-brainer for us to pick the Beatson.

“Doing a fitness challenge isn’t much compared to what people with cancer need to go through, so we want to make sure we get through the challenge and raise as much money as possible.

“Since we decided around a month ago to go for it we’ve been training non-stop, out running all the time, watching our diets and trying to give ourselves the best possible opportunity to complete it.

READ MORE: 'This group has helped me cope during Covid crisis - nobody ever feels lonely'

“Since we started the page we’ve been out a few times a day running and it’s given us so much more motivation just seeing all the people who’ve donated, people we’ve not even spoken to for years.

“It’s given us all a massive boost - it’s unbelievable.

“We appreciate everything so much, especially just now, times are tough and some people have lost their jobs. The response has been amazing.”

Sharing similar life experiences has meant the group can always rely on one another to pull them through the bad times, and Brian is confident that they will complete the upcoming challenge in the same vein as their loved ones continue to rail against illness.

He added: “Our families are over the moon that we’re doing this, but they’re the ones that are inspiring us - they’re all upbeat and optimistic people.

“They’re our motivation at the end of the day, we’re doing it for them.

LATEST HEADLINES: Strike threat at Faslane and Coulport as Unite announces industrial action ballot

“Although they’re struggling with it, my mum and my nana are doing as well as they can, so if they can do that, then we’ve got no excuses.

“When my dad had cancer I was young so I didn’t really know the ins and outs of it. It was difficult knowing he wasn’t well but I didn’t know the full extent.

“Over the last two years it has been difficult but if you knew my mum and my nana, they’re two of the most optimistic people you’ll ever meet, so we’ve got no excuses not to be upbeat for them.

“I still consider myself lucky to have them and have their attitudes and mindsets.

“You’ve got to stay optimistic, once your head’s down then you’ve stopped giving yourself a chance. Even since we’ve started doing the challenge we can see their spirits have lifted again, we see how proud they are, they just want us to get it done and raise as much money as we can because they know the work that the charity does.”

To donate to the fund-raiser visit justgiving.com/fundraising/48mile.