A HEREFORDSHIRE vet is to row an epic 3,000 miles across the Atlantic ocean next month after suffering a devastating double cancer blow. Simon Lyddon, who runs Vine Tree Vets in Ross-on-Wye, lost his dad Peter after an 11-year battle with prostate cancer. Soon afterwards Mr Lyddon, 44, was shattered when his wife Mel was diagnosed with breast cancer. Thankfully, surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy put Mrs Lyddon, an NHS physiotherapist, on the road to recovery. But Mr Lyddon, who like many vets faces struggles to balance his wellbeing, needed his own therapy and focus to help him support his wife s battles. Despite having no rowing experience, he has thrown himself into punishing daily training sessions for the gruelling 40-day ocean marathon to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support.