A MAN who has lost friends and relatives to cancer is aiming to raise thousands of pounds for Cancer Research UK.

Neil Fitzpatrick is releasing a CD single, Apart, and hopes to raise at least £25,000 for the charity.

Neil, who lives in Scarborough with his wife, Ellie, and two-year-old son, Charlie, had his first brush with the disease four years ago when a good his friend’s sister died of bowel cancer, aged 42. Inspired by her battle against the disease, he wrote the song, but his career as a graphic designer and musician meant he did not have time to do anything with it.

Then in 2012, Neil’s mother-in-law, Penny, died of breast cancer at the age of just 59, followed last year by his father, Derek, who died two days after Christmas of lung cancer.

“It is just so sad that Charlie is going to grow up without three of his grandparents,” said Neil. “I’ve lost too many people to this terrible disease, and I wanted to do something to help in the fight against it. When I’m not at my desk designing, I play the piano professionally – so a CD seemed the obvious move.”

Apart features Neil on piano with lead vocals from Michelle Lawson, from Warrington, who has also lost family members to cancer, and Wakefield Gospel Choir. Helium Strings, a string quartet from Leeds, also play on the single. All the musicians gave their services for free.

Neil has invested more than £2,500 of his own money towards the cost of recording and producing it, and has received generous donations from friends and supporters.