I lost my daughter Rebecca to Cystic Fibrosis on 10th June 2009; she was aged 27 years. She was my world and I miss her so much and even though it’s nearly 6 years since she passed away, it still hurts every day. Since losing her I have needed a focus and have decided to take on a personal challenge each June to mark Becci's anniversary and raise awareness and funds to find a desperately needed cure for Cystic Fibrosis.

 This year I have chosen to have my head shaved and this is going to take more courage than swimming two miles in a lake and doing a sky dive. I’ve decided on this challenge because having lived with CF for 27 years I watched Becci having to endure changes to her body such as clubbed fingers, barrel chest, her hair falling out and other embarrassing symptoms that rarely get mentioned but are all part of suffering with Cystic Fibrosis. These changes on top of living with the knowledge you have a life shortening illness, lung and digestive problems, daily physiotherapy and medication plus constant hospitalization can be soul destroying and affect a young person’s self esteem.

 I have made the choice to remove my hair and cause myself a degree of embarrassment in the hope that by doing this I can raise awareness of the daily struggle living with cystic fibrosis brings and at the same time earn some money towards finding a cure for this horrible illness. I can say at firsthand how difficult it is to live with Cystic Fibrosis and trying to stay positive waiting for a cure can sometimes be a nightmare. We thought we had a few more years left with Becci but devastatingly Cystic Fibrosis had other ideas. In September 2007 she was walking the Great North Run, May 2008 she was being referred for a lung transplant and 13 months later she passed away. It's an illness that is unpredictable and needs to be cured.

Cystic Fibrosis mainly affects the lungs and digestion but the continuous treatments required to keep the illness stable has a knock on effect to the liver, kidneys, bones and pancreas. There is no cure and although life expectancy is now 41 only 50% of sufferers will reach that age, the median age of death is 27 and each week two young lives will still be lost to it and five babies are born with it. Becci dealt with her illness with grit, determination, courage and a never say die attitude. She never let it stop her doing the things she wanted to do in life. She was my inspiration when she was here and she still is now.

Please sponsor me and help raise some funds for CF towards better treatment and ultimately a cure. My aim in life is to try and stop other family's having to deal with the devastation losing a child brings to your life. I can't do anything medical but if I can help provide money to fund the wonderful scientists who work tirelessly to find a cure, I’ll feel my lovely young courageous daughter won't have died in vain.Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.