Horseleap man tells of his victory over cancer against the odds

The Horseleap architect behind Athlone Town's stadium is back in Westmeath this week. Ten years after beating a cancer he was given just a five per cent chance of overcoming Liam Ryan has pledged to raise a massive €3m to help other cancer sufferers. Fundraising is focusing on Liam's first marathon since his cancer diagnosis, planned for Dingle in September, along with the publication of his book "Cancer 4 Me 5 (after extra time)". His book, which is both a memoir of his early life in Westmeath and an account of how he beat cancer, will be launched locally this weekend in Horseleap, with an event in the planning stages for soon after in Athlone. "The book is my story," Liam explained to the Westmeath Independent this week. The true life story revolves around how Liam survived a stage four cancerous tumour behind his cheek that reached up to his brain, which left his life hanging in the balance. "A 4-5 match you know has been a ding-dong affair and could have gone either way," Liam said, explaining his title choice. "I felt it was a good description of the closeness of the situation. Cancer had thrown me a four and I came back with a five." The title also suggests something of Liam's connection with sport, particularly Athlone Town FC. Shortly before being diagnosed he designed Athlone Town's new stadium, and his father served on the soccer club's board back in 1969 when the club re-entered the League of Ireland. Liam faced his cancer with a positive attitude, something he in part attributes to Athlone architect Paddy Hynes who himself beat cancer twice and is acknowledged by Liam in his book. Upon telling his friend of his less than ideal survival odds, Liam said Paddy immediately impressed upon him the silver lining. "Five per cent is fine," Liam reports Paddy as saying. "The 100 will include people who are frail, who smoke and who are unfit but you are young, fit and not willing to let this beat you so if I had to pick one in a hundred, I would pick you. But it's not even one in 100 it's five so now your job is to make sure you get yourself inside that percentage. There is absolutely no reason why you can't." The positive words were the best piece of advice Liam says he got throughout his entire ordeal. "He just put me into the five per cent figure instead of dwelling on the 95 per cent," Liam explained. "It was my job to get myself into that figure. He was a gem." Seven years on from his 2002 cancer battle Liam, who has in the past completed six marathons took to some light jogging once more. After completing four 10km races in 2010 and eight in 2011, he felt he could return to competitive running. At the beginning of this year he launched the Liam Ryan Cancer Appeal and through his running and book sales he's hoping to write and run his way to fundraising €3m. Liam currently lives in Tipperary, but is looking forward to a trip to his old home - Paddy Ryan's pub in Horseleap - this weekend. On Saturday night he will launch his self-published book at an event starting at 8pm. "It's going to be a bit of a reunion in Horseleap," he said, describing the event as a "community conversation". "The first section of the book takes you through a memoir of my life from my days in Horseleap to working in Athlone and following the 'Town' so it contains a good deal of local interest well before it gets to its inspirational conclusion," Liam said. "Cancer 4 Me 5 (after extra time)" will be available on the night at a cost of €20, and Liam is hoping local bookstores may stock it in the coming weeks in addition. More of Liam's story can be read on his website liamryancancerappeal.weebly.com. Fundraising details and how to donate to his cause are also included on the same site.