My Story
Thank you for visiting my Fundraising Page. The money I raise will help fund life-saving research and to bring forward the day when all cancers are cured. DENISE’S STORY : In October 2017 aged 53 Denise found out that she had a Grade 3 Carcinoma. A regular mammogram had failed to pick anything up but she had gone to see a GP with a swelling in her arm . Further blood tests then revealed her diagnosis and more investigation showed a deep breast lump . She then started on a journey of chemotherapy, radiotherapy and a removal of her breast lump and lymph nodes . This forced her in to early retirement as a midwife. Only just over two years before this Denise had lost the love of her life , husband Brian tragically to Encephalitis. All seemed well until 2021 when Denise started experiencing bowel problems. These were not deemed to be cancerous and she was treated with antibiotics! After many months of pain and discomfort she was taken to theatre in January 2022 where they discovered a bowel tumour that was in fact secondaries to her breast cancer . After this operation and more chemotherapy needed things were still very wrong as she suffered headaches , dizziness etc and again after several emergency trips to hospital finally another tumour was discovered on her frontal lobe of her brain . This has now spread but following radiotherapy on her head she is now having an aggressive form of second phase chemotherapy to help her live with which is what now an incurable cancer . She is doing this with the most amazing strength and stubbornness in true Scottish and true Denise style !! Whilst all this has been going on she has lost her beautiful mum , Mags to myeloma and her youngest brother Scott to bowel cancer . No one knows how they would cope in this situation but whilst she must be scared and angry Denise carries on with such amazing strength that I am in complete awe of her . She is surrounded by so much love from her family and friends. A testament to herself ❤️ I have known her for 40 years back when we started our nurses training and through thick and thin she has been there for me and am feeling so hopeless now that I can’t fix this … I have decided to do this challenge to raise awareness and raise some money to a charity that will hopefully one day find a cure to kick the arse of fucking cancer . I will always be here to support you my lovely friend along with everyone else but also knowing how crazy I am let the word be spread of my 36 hour spinathon and part two ( next year ) …my walk from Tunbridge Wells to Harrogate ( Denise’s home ) … Watch this space .. For now concentrating on my spin 36 hours non stop at SPN Tunbridge Wells starting on the 1st December 8am 2022 Also in memory of my beautiful friend Sue Whittaker who would have been 60 this year .. taken too soon by cancer xx
