### Craig Maxwell: Fundraising Against the Odds as Cancer Battle Intensifies
As Cardiff prepares to host its first European rugby final in over a decade, one former Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) leader is embarking on his most difficult challenge yet. Craig Maxwell, once the WRU’s commercial director and a prominent figure in rugby administration, will not be on the terraces or in the executive box. Instead, he will be rowing 72 miles, from Tenby to Cardiff, in a testament to his enduring commitment to raising money for cancer research—even while facing new and escalating personal health hurdles.
Diagnosed in September 2022 with a rare and aggressive form of lung cancer, Maxwell’s prognosis from the beginning was bleak. At the time, he had three tumours. That number has grown to 11, and doctors have made clear: the cancer is incurable and inoperable. Despite such a devastating outlook, Maxwell has channelled his energy into a succession of high-profile endurance events, keen to leave a meaningful legacy for his family and the wider community.
His latest endeavour is daunting on several fronts. The physical undertaking—rowing for up to six hours a day across five days—would test the fittest of athletes, let alone someone enduring chemotherapy and drug regimens of significant toxicity. The journey is set to finish just before the Champions Cup final between Northampton and Bordeaux, and already, Maxwell’s efforts are bearing fruit: over £71,000 has been raised in the first week alone for crucial cancer research, adding to a running total of approximately £1.6 million raised since his diagnosis.
Each event undertaken by Maxwell has become harder as his illness progresses. Since 2022, he has completed challenges such as the London Marathon, cycled the distance from Cardiff to Paris, and walked the entire 780-mile Welsh Coast Path—each time pushing himself further while keenly aware of his health’s ongoing decline. “My daily life is getting more difficult,” Maxwell tells us, reflecting candidly on the relentless progression of his disease.
Within this context, his commitment is not only driven by philanthropy but also the poignant awareness of the time he aims to spend with his wife, Tracey, and their two young children, Isla and Zack. Maxwell continues chemotherapy and has been self-funding an innovative drug, Amivantamab, which is not available through the NHS and has proved effective in shrinking his tumours. To date, the family has spent close to £22,000 on this medication, and with ongoing treatment likely to cost up to £100,000, they are anxiously awaiting a decision from an Individual Patient Funding Request panel as to whether his treatment will be funded going forward.
For Maxwell, there has never been a question of using the charity donations for personal use. His steadfast position is that the money raised must go to help others, fostering research and support for future patients and families enduring similar hardship. “We’ve made it clear—the charity money does not fund my personal treatment,” Maxwell says. “We need help, but only from the proper channels. Every penny from fundraising should help stop the next family going through this.”
His openness about the impact of his illness—on both himself and his loved ones—is palpable. The family, he explains, experiences hard weeks and good weeks. There are moments of laughter and joy, sharply contrasted by the sobering reality of limited time. Maxwell worries about how to pack decades’ worth of parenting into what may only be a couple of years, but draws hope and strength from role-modelling resilience and determination to his children.
As his latest challenge culminates, Maxwell has arranged for another family currently affected by cancer to deliver the match ball for the Champions Cup final at the Principality Stadium—symbolising shared struggles and the strength of community. Such acts, he says, are about more than personal endurance; they are about solidarity, unforgettable moments, and hope for others walking a similar path.
The rugby community, from the Six Nations to former WRU colleagues and players such as Ken Owens, has rallied in support, making donations and offering encouragement. These acts of kindness and recognition, Maxwell believes, are legacies his children can cherish, long after the final whistle is blown.
For now, as a crucial week looms—with the funding panel’s decision and the grueling row ahead—Craig Maxwell continues to fight, both for his family and for all those touched by cancer. Regardless of what comes next, he intends to keep making every moment count, inspiring those around him with his relentless spirit and compassion.