Woman fundraises to fulfil dying dad's dream

Hsin-Yi LoSouth East
Handout A man in a black jacket sitting inside a car.Handout
Darren Sharpe is living with terminal cancer and has always wanted to visit battlefields across Europe

A woman is raising money to help her father, who has terminal cancer, fulfil his dream of visiting battlefields across Europe.

Darren Sharpe, 60, worked as a bus driver in Maidstone, Kent, for almost 30 years with Arriva.

His daughter, Chelsea, said he beat bowel cancer two years ago and was "given the all-clear" after routine scans.

However, earlier this year, when her father went to have his stoma bag removed, Chelsea said doctors found shadowing on his kidney.

"We were told the cancer had spread to his liver and kidneys, and that it was terminal," she said.

Chelsea described her father as a "great bloke" who was "always willing to help anyone who needed it" and loved to ride motorbikes.

"It's something he's always enjoyed doing," she said.

Handout A man wearing a red and white biker's jacket is standing up with his arms stretched out. There are four motorbikes behind him.Handout
Chelsea spoke of her father's love for motorbikes

Chelsea said he was well-known to Maidstone locals and was dedicated to his job.

"He had a strong sense of duty, he always ensured he got passengers safely to their destinations," she said.

She said even though her father was no longer able to work, people still stopped to greet him, remembering his service to the community.

Chelsea said he had always dreamed of visiting battlefields in Europe.

"He loved learning about history, particularly military history," she said.

Chelsea said she hoped to raise £10,000 to help her father realise his lifelong dream.

"It would mean so much to him," she added.

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