Cathy takes on Sugar Free February

A week before Christmas my dad was admitted to hospital. On Christmas Eve he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Dad beat prostate cancer a couple of years ago and in October underwent an operation for an aortic aneurysm. Flights were booked to come to Scotland and spend Christmas with us and after that he was looking forward to getting to work on his new boat which he hadn’t been able to take out since he’d bought it last summer, due to the aneurysm. Instead dad spent Christmas Day in hospital, in fact he was there for just over 6 weeks; he went back in again last week for an operation and in a few weeks he'll start chemotherapy. But that’s cancer for you, it doesn’t care what your plans are or what you’ve already been through. It doesn’t discriminate. So this February, I will be ditching the sweet stuff and giving up sugar for the month to raise money for Cancer Research UK, to help improve cancer treatments and work towards prevention and cure. Cancer Research UK currently estimates that 1 in 2 of us will develop cancer at some point in our lives. This used to be 1 in 3. You may not know my dad but you will know someone else who has had, is currently fighting, or will get cancer. It could be you. I’ve done a few charity challenges over the years but this is my biggest one yet; not just because I love my puddings, cake and chocolate (I really do) but because this time, it’s personal. Every penny makes a huge difference to vital cancer research so please, if you can, donate what you can and help make that difference. In memory of those who didn’t make it in the past, with hope for those battling it in the present and with faith that research will help those facing it in the future, thank you. Cx