My Story
Thank you for visiting my Fundraising Page. My mum was diagnosed with breast cancer when she was 41. She underwent radiotherapy and chemotherapy and recovered. At the age of 61, in early 2018, she was diagnosed with late stage ovarian cancer. She fought day after day for nearly 2 years, undergoing weekly treatment which made her feel awful, and from which she still bore scars from 20 years previous. Every day she got up and was strong and determined for her family and friends, she selflessly supported others and showed no self-pity. My mum passed away on New Year's Eve 2019. I don't believe I'll ever meet another person who had her strength, determination, and selflessness. My mum inherited a mutation in her BRCA gene which gave her a high risk of breast and ovarian cancer. This genetic mutation can be tested for in an unborn baby from 11 weeks, and in adults carrying the mutation there is increased cancer screening and hysterectomy which can greatly reduce the risk of cancer. My mum was tested too late, and instead endured chemotherapy, which consists of pumping drugs into the body to kill all replicating cells in the hope that it kills enough of the cancer cells to manage the rate of cancer progression. This was the same treatment that she had endured 20 years previously. Technologies to detect and treat, and our understanding of cancer is constantly developing but organisations such as Cancer Research UK need investment to continue to develop and to make these advances available to as many people as possible. It is estimated that the UK could lose up to £7.8 billion of investment in life-saving research by 2027 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, mainly due to lost charity income. Over 8 days in April 2022 I will be running along the River Thames for 287 miles from my hometown of Herne Bay, Kent to the source in Gloucestershire. Getting up every day for a little over a week to run 35 miles a day is insignificant compared to what those undergoing cancer treatment are going through, but I would be grateful for any donations. The money I raise will help fund life-saving research and to bring forward the day when all cancers are cured. Itinerary: Tuesday 19th April - Herne Bay to Teynham - 26 miles Wednesday 20th April - Teynham to Rochester - 35 miles Thursday 21st April - Rochester to Erith - 33 miles Friday 22nd April - Erith to Kew - 36 miles Saturday 23rd April - Kew to Maidenhead - 37 miles Sunday 24th April - Maidenhead to Wallingford - 46 miles Monday 25th April - Wallingford to Tadpole Bridge - 40 miles Tuesday 26th April - Tadpole Bridge to Kemble (Thames Source) - 34 miles Thanks in advance.
