Alexander's Giving Page

Cancer is something that sadly has affected many of us and my family has been no exception. My grandfather, "Dat", was diagnosed with stomach cancer in 2011. He lost his battle on Boxing Day 2013 surrounded by all of us in his home in Georgia. Throughout my childhood, he had been someone who had a large, formative impact on me. Both through time spent with him and my Mum's endless stories of his sailing adventures or what he got up to at university. A particular favourite of mine is how he would climb up a drainpipe to get back into his college to avoid being seen by the porters late at night. His wife, and my grandmother (Paddy), her twin sister (Wendy) and my Dad's mother also passed away due to breast cancer in 2003, 2006 and 2006 respectively. My Mother has had her own struggle with cancer. She was diagnosed with breast and skin cancer in 2010. After 2 years of intense chemo and radiotherapy, she was clear. The advancement in technology that allowed her to survive is something that I am thankful for every day. Similarly, my Aunt underwent a double mastectomy after being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2017. The research done by Cancer Research UK and similar groups has a real impact on survival rates and thus can spare families like mine from even more devastation at the hands of cancer. Over the summer a group of us from Oxford OTC will be fundraising and training to raise money to run the Oxford Half marathon in October. Cancer is beatable and any donation, no matter how small, will be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your support!