Gale takes on Sugar Free February

Thank you for visiting my fundraising page. This February, I will be ditching the sweet stuff and giving up sugar for the whole month to raise money for Cancer Research UK. Every penny makes a huge difference to vital cancer research so please help me conquer my cravings and show your support with a donation to my page. I have seen personally how this disease causes havoc in people’s lives and the tremendous work that a wide variety of professional people never stop giving their all, to help find a cure, alleviate suffering and support both patients and loved ones. When my husband was diagnosed with cancer Macmillan Cancer Support was a crutch during the long scary days and nights, providing answers and reassurance from both patients and staff that I had forgotten to ask the Drs and nurses or had remembered when I got home. The podcast You, Me and the Big C, made me laugh and cry, and those three girls, Rachael, Deborah and Lauren who shared their experiences, strength and hope with humour, empathy and openness were a breath of fresh air. Even when Rachael knew she had one last summer with her little boy Freddie who was three years old, she still worked tirelessly to reduce the stigma around cancer and prove it was possible to live life to the fullest even when facing huge challenges on a daily basis. When she left this world we felt we knew her and we were heartbroken but we’re grateful for listening to that voice that brightened our day and made us smile and cry. Watching the medical staff on the recent BBC programme, War in the Blood, was humbling, the dedication that these wonderful people contribute to finding cures for terminally ill patients and the sadness at the end when the commentator says, “unfortunately it’s the patients that die on the trials that help us most”, and then a list of people who benefited from that trial later on, is sad and uplifting when you hear how long they have survived! I have been extremely blessed with my husband’s diagnosis and treatment and it’s coming up to three years with no evidence of disease. I have lost two girlfriends in that time who were diagnosed later than him and they were both brave and accepting, one maybe more than the other. I hope one day we find out why this happens, prevention I feel is better than a cure but until then every single person could help in a very small way. Support cancer charities, fundraisers, your local hospice, visit a sick neighbour, help someone with shopping, transport and be kind and pray if you believe ❤️