Kelly's Race for Life

Cancer is happening right now, which is why I'm taking part in a Race for Life 5k to raise money and save lives. 1 in 2 people will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime. Every single pound you donate makes a difference to Cancer Research UK’s groundbreaking work, so please sponsor me now. In April 2018 my Dad was diagnosed with Acute myeloid Leukaemia (AML) after losing my wonderful mum and best friend just 18 months prior. It turned our world upside down and on to a journey no one ever wants to go on. During the last 14 months it has changed our lives unrecognisably and in ways I never thought possible. After 3 rounds of chemotherapy and lengthy hospital stays we were all keeping our fingers crossed Dad would go into remission. This was not the case and Dad would need a Stem Cell transplant to have any chance of survival. In December 2018 Dad underwent intensive chemotherapy to prepare for the stem cells that would potentially save his life, thankfully his sister my aunt was a match for Dad and heroically donated her stem cells to save him. On the 12th December Dad was given his sisters stem cells. Fast forward to now Iam very pleased to say the stem cell transplant worked and he is now in remission. Life has changed forever and we will for the foreseeable future be on this journey hoping he stays in remission. I am thankful to all who have helped my Dad on his journey to surviving cancer. As a daughter and someone helping my Dad through the journey he was on, I realised it had taken its toll on me and for a while I felt lost and in constant termoil. Then I found running, I started the couch to 5k this April and I can say it has changed my life for the better. I never thought I would be able to run a minute let alone for the duration of 5k but iam determined for this to be a new journey for me that is a positive one. Iam no way near to being fast or finding it easy but I am getting out there and doing something positive. Dad has recently been very poorly again with pneumonia and needed a stay in intensive care, during this time I ran when I could and it running really helped me cope. So on the 16th of July this year Iam taking on the challenge and will be taking part in the race for life, in honour of all those who have been and are currently affected by the cruel disease that is Cancer. I would be very grateful if you could donate as little or as much as you can towards this great charity and help spur me on to do this challenge and help kick cancers butt! Thank you Kelly xxx