KELVIN Cery is a man who likes to live on the edge. He and his wife Susannah were caught in the terrorist attack in the Indian city of Mumbai in November 2008.

And after returning home to Wales after a 15-month stint in an advertising agency there, Kelvin could be forgiven for settling for the quiet life.

But that is obviously not in his nature as he is embarking on a charity challenge to end them all. He aims to raise £1 million for cancer charities by undertaking 40 improbable challenges.

And the word improbable is very relevant, especially with headings like model at London Fashion Week, sell sand to an Arab, climb Kilimanjaro for a snowball fight, moonwalk with an astronaut and box Rocky Balboa.

He would also welcome Welsh Rugby Union clearance to sing on the Millennium Stadium pitch before an international.

Kelvin, formerly from Briton Ferry but now living in Swansea, has just completed his first challenge, the daunting Cresta Run in the Swiss Alps to benefit the World Cancer Research Fund, one of the cancer charities he is supporting. "My training for riding the run was restricted to a few practice runs on the Nintendo Wii so I can hardly be considered an expert," he says.

"It was, by some margin, the most frightening experience of my life with every bone shaken and muscle worked to its limit. It was like riding the world's longest rollercoaster, but without a safety harness.

"My face was a few inches from hitting some very hard ice, which would have resulted in an unwanted visit to a Swiss plastic surgeon.

"During my three days at The Cresta Run, one of my fellow beginners suffered a compound fracture to his ankle, while an experienced rider sustained a very serious injury and was airlifted to hospital with his back broken in two places.

"I have promised my wife I will be restricting myself to the bobsleigh ride at Oakwood Park."

So it is one down, 39 to go, with March 2012 the target date for completion.

"I hope by then to have completed a further 39 improbable things, which people have suggested might possibly be done, simply can't be done and, in some cases, shouldn't really be attempted unless you're just that little bit loco," adds Kelvin, of Vivian Road in Sketty.

There are, inevitably, good reasons close to home for Kelvin and Susannah to forgo their income for such a crusade, fronted by the newly formed Community Interest Company.

"We were inspired to create the Community Interest Company when my father was diagnosed with bowel cancer for which he is still undergoing treatment at Singleton Hospital in Swansea.

"My wife's sister has overcome it and her best friend has been battling cancer for the past two years.

"At some point, everyone will know someone who has it. We need people to sign up.

"I decided that instead of making money for businesses through my work at an ad agency in Mumbai, I would move back to the UK to try to make a positive difference through utilising my skills and contacts to create something unique.

"We were in Mumbai for 15 months, and we thought it was time to come home."

The result of months of behind-the- scenes-work is the Snowball Project — starting with the Cresta Run and snowballing from there.

With forward planning, Kelvin has set money aside to live on, but is looking to cover his costs.

"We are looking for celebrity and corporate endorsement."

A publicity machine has swung into action through social network sites and now he is gearing up for challenge number two. He is off to Thailand on Friday and will be going by bus to the border near Burma for the last leg.

"I will a spend a week in the remote jungle of Northern Thailand in a real temple, living according to the rules of Buddhist teaching.

"To become a full monk would usually take at least six months of preparation and, in some traditions, even longer. We do not have time, so I will be undertaking the training of a novice monk."

He has been accepted by the people who matter and will be reciting the local language, wear orange robes and shave his head in a symbolic gesture mirroring the possible loss of hair resulting from chemotherapy treatment for cancer.

Kelvin is hoping the project, which will feature on YouTube, will gain an unstoppable online momentum. "The project is nothing if not ambitious, but we believe we have found a way of engaging a young audience, and turning the power of social networks into a force for good.

"We have already received unbelievable support and encouragement, each day seeing our number of website visits and Facebook fans growing apace as we create a snowball effect. We are making this project as interactive as possible though engaging the public in suggesting, creating and taking part in challenges.

"We need to build a huge, active fan base to make this of interest to sponsor partners. Let's make things happen."

www.thesnowballproject.com

Facebook page —The Snowball Project

Twitter — @thesnowballer