Sophie's Race for Life

Its that time of year again where its time to raise money whilst battling my biggest fitness challenge! Lets just start by saying do you know there are hundreds of forms of cancer? Researchers spread resources daily to be able to find new ways to find chemotherapies or regimes that work for each specific one. Sometimes coming to amazing discoveries and sometimes taking years to have the smallest breakthrough. As many people know i myself am a survivor of cancer, more specifically Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia. An aggressive and rapid developing type of Leukaemia which affects healthy White cells which are needed to fight infection. Did you know that my form leukaemia alone has a rate of around 650 diagnosis's a year in children aged newborn to 14? That works out as just over 54 children diagnosed a month. But with having amazing advances and trails into cancer research the survival rate is now an incredible 85-90%! Many people are aware of the impacts cancer can have on a persons life. As someone close to them has battled or is battling it. However, some people have never seen the bad side and sometimes the harrowing truth can be daunting to them. But cancer doesn't have to be daunting or harrowing! It can be something made into an experience that can change your life around and make you a new person! If thats from new knowledge based on it or from fighting it and winning! So here is a bit of my story... I was 11 years old when diagnosed, i went from a healthy child to someone who would sleep constantly, covered in bruises when i hadnt even left my bed or house, my fitness went downhill i wasnt able to ride my bike anymore with having to reach for my inhaler... so my mom took a stand and took me to the doctors where (my then) GP diagnosed me with eczema. This didnt sit well and my mom knew this wasnt the answer so she took me straight to the local hospital where they admitted me and as soon as they had examined me and run tests they transferred me to St James hospital in leeds. If it wasn't for my mom knowing her mothers instinct was right i wouldn't of ever made it through that week never mind to be celebrating 10 years clear next month! Once i had been transferred and admitted i went through multiple bone marrow biopsy's and lumbar punctures. But without a question or hesitation when me and my family was asked if i would be happy for them to take extra samples so they could use them for research purposes i knew it was a yes and so did my parents. So thats where my contributions started! Not only was i in and out of operating theatres for the 6 weeks i was admitted, i also slept the first two weeks. Getting prodded with needles didn't even wake me up after a couple of days! I slept and didn't eat and hardly drank. I went from a healthy weight to nearly a skeleton. I wouldn't let anyone touch me because i looked poorly for the first time since admission. Once them 6 weeks passed i was allowed home. I had my mom with me full time and was so fortunate to. But whilst i was in hospital my mom was a brilliant mother to me but she had to compromise being a mother to 3 for them six weeks because my elder brothers was at home having parents be in and out of the house to care for me, to work for me and to make sure i had all the medical intervention i needed. Not only did my brothers not have a fair share of parenting but one also missed big celebrations for his 16th birthday. Thats when guilt starts to get to you, even as an 11 year old! So once i was allowed home things became easier but also harder. My parents could parent all three of us easier again, we could feel slightly ‘normal’ again. My mom became my favourite person, not only did she give up her job but she gave up her life to care for me and nurture me every second of every day. She had to be the person to train to administer needles into my portacath and administer chemo. She was a blessing as anyone who has dealt with an argumentative 11 year old will know it isnt easy! Never mind when you put steroids into the equation everything gets heightened then! She was the person to deal with my mood swings, the person to deal with me not wanting to sleep alone but wanting her there by my side every night for 2 years! She wont ever have enough credit from me because she seriously did more than anyone could ever imagine! My treatment had started to get into a routine when i remember one of my consultants Dr Bob had rang the house line to say they was switching my regime to a intensive one to blast the cells more. You could see on my parents face straight away that the concern, questions and worry was there, something i learnt wasn't always something to worry about! My intense regime started and it was awful, i was on over 40 tablets a day. I had to fast for some then eat with others, my mom would wake at night to administer medications and would make sure everything was timed and ready to go on a schedule. Thats when all the side effects started. Not only did it involve sickness but it involved being wheelchair bound because a chemo drug called vincristine had caused my joints to ‘cease up’. This was agonising and also made me for the first time lose my independence and have to rely on a wheelchair and someone to guide me to places. Through my treatment i battled many challenges. Ones i am proud to of beaten now as with no immune system the smallest infection could mean days on intensive care units. I was able to battle MRSA, Shingles, joint limitations, multiple operations on body parts such as my feet, lower back, bowel and even my right eye. I overcame each and every one of these and was able to make sure after each one i could say i did it with a smile and personality that shined! But it wasn't easy, it was a challenge but the amazing nurses and doctors made all this possible! I was receiving the chemo regime really well when i started to lose the sight in my right eye. I had tests and multiple appointments but still no answers. So i had biopsy's and investigations which each was a surgery to go inside my eye and still no answers. But after 7 of these they finally found that the chemo that had been saving my life and giving me longer to live was also damaging my health. I had gone almost completely blind by this point. All i could see was almost a cloud of fog no figures or shapes just blurred fog. So i had my final operation on a detached retina. As soon as my eye healed and the bandages came off i was able to see again! But all this came at a costly price and a gamble. Because me and my family had made the choice with my consultant to end my chemotherapy and just monitor what was left of my cancer cells and just hope and pray they would behave and that my body would slowly diminish them! An boy did it work! That was it, on june 18th 2009 i had my last chemo, i still remember being in a side room at my clinic counting down with the drip machine to when the last drop would be administered into my line and i would have my portacath clamped. It was done. My journey was complete! 2 very long years had come to a stop! It was an amazing feeling and not only that it was a feeling of looking at my moms excitement too knowing she was beaming under her little smirk! There are so many contributing factors to saving a life with treatment. It isnt just nurses, doctors and chemotherapy or any treatment. Its also about the research, the play staff on the ward keeping moral up. Its about having a atmosphere in the hospital to make it feel like your second home! I wont ever forget a moment of my journey. My leukaemia has left me many life long side affects but i embrace them and cherish them because they made me me and they made me be the survivor i am today! Not only did leukaemia give me more strength but it also gave me friends i wouldnt of ever had in life without my diagnosis. Two very dear friends who have sadly passed away with their own battles to cancer but who each year i race for and i will continue to race in their names because they didnt just ride my journey with me. They showed me not to let cancer win! So this is for you Nicole Steven & Eden Shaw ❤️💛💙 So please guys, even if its just £1! Please help and donate to a cause which i will forever be grateful for giving me my life!