Story
<p>Having completed the New York and Paris marathons I was not sure that I wanted to put myself through another 26 miles. But this year there have been two major things occur in our lives firstly we lost a very close friend Kevin Roper to cancer and my sister Caroline was diagnosed with Breast Cancer for the second time. So I have decided to have one more go and have entered the London Marathon in April running for the Breakthough Breast Cancer charity <a href="http://www.breakthrough.org.uk">www.breakthrough.org.uk</a> to raise as much money to try and help find a cure for this terrible disease.</p>
<p>Kevin who was 55 passed away in Sept 2010 having fought a brave battle against cancer for 12 months, the positivity and dignity in the way that he tried to fight the disease was inspirational. He leaves behind a loving wife Debra and two sons Colin and Craig who will be there to cheer me on.</p>
<p>I will let my sister tell her storey..........</p>
<p><span style="color: #1f497d; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;" lang="EN-US"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Hi, I’m Caroline, Guy’s sister! Ten years ago this July I was diagnosed with aggressive grade three breast cancer (young people tend to get more aggressive cancer), after finding a pea size lump in my left breast. With two children aged six and four at the time, I underwent a mastectomy, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and finally reconstruction over a period of nine months. I was fortunate enough that I found the lump early, and that the cancer had not spread to my lymphnodes which was amazing considering the aggressiveness of the cancer! I was supported by so many fantastic people working with cancer, and I myself did the moonwalk six months after being diagnosed to give something back to society! Our Mother, Jean had also suffered breast cancer about 20 years ago; a lumpectomy and is still alive today to tell the tale, aged??!</span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #1f497d; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;" lang="EN-US"><span style="font-size: small; font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #1f497d; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;" lang="EN-US"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Turning the clock forward to July 2010, at my ten year check up - after five years you are supposed to be at the same risk of getting breast cancer as the ‘one in three’ average person - a small tumour in my right breast was found following a mammogram and ultra-sound. This was was biopsied and the awful diagnosis came back that there were cancer cells in it. I guess I was just unlucky to get breast cancer twice, as this time round it was a completely different breast cancer and not linked to that of ten years ago; much less aggressive thankfully! With my boys now aged sixteen and twelve, I had my second mastectomy combined with reconstruction (done separately previously) followed by radiotherapy. Due to it being caught early, it had not spread to the lymphnodes which bodes well for secondaries!</span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #1f497d; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;" lang="EN-US"><span style="font-size: small; font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #1f497d; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;" lang="EN-US"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Just as before, I have had fantastic support from my breast surgeons and nurses, oncologist, the radiographers at Mount Vernon and my plastic surgeon, all of whom are dedicated to their jobs, plus this time round as they are that much older – my kids! I have also had the benefit through all this turmoil of my loving and supportive partner who has never ever stopped keeping me positive and focused. Therefore to help people in my position but who are perhaps less fortunate, please give generously to my brother Guy’s charity of choice; Breakthrough Breast Cancer as it really can touch all our hearts!”</span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #1f497d; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;" lang="EN-US"><span style="font-size: small; font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="color: #1f497d; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;" lang="EN-US"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Caroline</span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #000000;"><strong><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;" lang="EN-US"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So I have started the 4 months of training and as I get up early in the morning in the cold wet weather I will use Kevin and Caroline as my motivation for keeping going.</span></span></span></strong></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #1f497d; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;" lang="EN-US"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #000000;"><strong>So if you can find a way to donate anything to this important cause we need to find a way of stopping this dreadfull disease</strong></span>. </span></span></span></p>
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<p>Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.</p>
<p>So please dig deep and donate now.</p>
<p>Thanks Guy</p>
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