Paul Bondsfield making world-record drumming attempt to stick it to cancer

Paul Bondsfield is banging a drum about cancer.

“Cancer has been around my loved ones for quite some time,” he said. “I lost my father to prostate cancer in 2001. My uncle died of the same disease not long after that... Last year, my wife was diagnosed with breast cancer.”

This week, Bondsfield is attempting to break the world non-stop drumming record, pounding the skins for 144 hours, or six days, hoping to beat the previous record of 134 hours and five minutes laid down by Canadian Steve Gaul of Burlington, Ontario in August 2015.

71 people are diagnosed with cancer every day in New Zealand, says Bondsfield. Photo / Alex Burton

“It’s not a done deal by any means,” says Bondsfield, who has been training for six months, “but I feel I’m doing everything I can to make it happen.”

He kicked off at 6pm on Saturday at Sylvia Park shopping mall and, all going well, will down sticks on Friday.

“Cancer impacts so many of us,” he said. “71 New Zealanders [are] diagnosed with cancer every day - one of those 71 on a day not long ago was my wife, Tris.”

Bondsfield’s drumming marathon is hoping to raise money and more awareness for dealing with cancer, he says.

“Every donation I receive means the Cancer Society can continue to help by funding cancer research, prevention and support services for people with cancer and their whānau when they need it most.”

That’s got to be worth making some noise about!

Follow the world record drumming attempt at: https://www.facebook.com/TheLongestBeat/.