I'm joining Cancer Research UK's Race for Life this year. Please join the fight by digging deep and sponsoring me - it's quick, easy and totally secure.

It's a number of years since I've run any distance and even then I struggled to get round 4 miles. But Frances has talked me into doing the 10k race so guess I need to get training. I have joined the Race for Life this year as a tribute to my Mum who has fought so bravely against cancer for the last 4 years. The effects of the treatment have been horrendous but she just kept going, determined not to give up and to see her grandaughter graduate. (Please see full story below.) Also Thank you to all those NHS staff who have been so supportive and helpful to my Mum. 

My Mum's Story:-

About 20 years ago at the age of 58, my Mum was diagnosed with bowel cancer. Diagnosis was delayed by over 6 months as the GP originally sent her away saying it was likely to be haemorrhoids. Mum eventually had the tumor removed and underwent radio and chemo therapy, and was given the all clear.

Fifteen years later, my Mum developed a cough that would not go away. After a chest x-ray a tumor was discovered on her lungs. The consultants in the Respiratory department could not understand how this tumor had developed when she had never been a smoker. Numerous tests followed which resulted in the Respiratory department concluding that it was not lung cancer, but bowel cancer. So, Mum was then referred to a different department and had to start tests all over again. It turned out that the tumor on her lungs was from her original cancer 15 years previous but had lain dormant, undetected all that time.

This was back in 2011 and she was told that she had approximately 2 years. My daughter had just finished her A- Levels and was accepted into University but my Mum was so upset that she would not get to see her only grandchild graduate.

The tumor was not operable, so chemo therapy was the only possible treatment. My Mum went through treatment after treatment, each treatment being more toxic than the last. Side effects were unbelievably horrendous. Apart from the usual hair loss (not just head hair, but even eye brows and eye lashes), sickness and diaorrhea, and low immune system, there is also the tiredness, loss of sense of taste, splitting of ends of fingers and toes, sore feet, ingrowing toenails that become infected, various other infections, and the list goes on and on. When Mum said she had 'a bit of a sore neck' I was shocked when I saw that her entire neck was red raw and covered in blisters.

At the end of the 3rd series of chemo, the consultant could see that my Mum was determined to carry on regardless of side effects, and seeing her bloodshot eyes amongst other symptoms he asked her to consider the importance of quality of life versus length of life and to consider taking a temporary break from chemo to give her body a chance to recover. Mum was not happy so he had to seriously stress the potential risks such as blindness, kidney failure, etc. and so Mum reluctantly agreed to a break for a few months.

But Mum was so brave, determined that she was not going to give up and last year, 2014, Mum attended her grand-daughter's graduation ceremony.

Mum is still battling on, although she has decided that she cannot go through any more treatment and so is now slowing declining. When she comes round for dinner now, the cough linctus and oxygen tank have to come with her, just in case she gets too breathless or has a coughing fit. So this is why I am trying to raise funds for Cancer Research this year. They may not be able to cure cancer, as there are so many, but if they could improve the drugs and treatment it would be a huge step forward and make life more tolerable for cancer sufferers.

Events like this are vital in funding Cancer Research UK's life-saving work into preventing, diagnosing and treating cancer. By sponsoring me, we can unite and create an army that cancer can't ignore. By sponsoring me, we will beat cancer sooner.

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Sponsor me now, and help me show cancer that hell hath no fury like a woman in pink.