Final Update: Thank you to all my friends and family for their unstinting support and belief in me to achieve this difficult target. I'm so proud to have done this in Kevin's memory, not only raising significantly more than the target, but reaching my weight loss goal for this challenge. I miss Kevin terribly, and he will remain in my heart forever as I've set on this new journey, which also got me running - something I swore I'd never do... Having already completed 10 x 5k Parkruns and the London Vitality 10k, I've now got a confirmed place at the 2019 London Marathon... running for Meningitis Research... but more about that another time...

My partner Kevin was diagnosed with oesophageal cancer in May 2016 and sadly he passed away in June 2017. Prior to his diagnosis I've never heard of this type of cancer. We don't know what caused Kevin's cancer, but I was horrified to learn about the seriousness of this type of cancer and devastated to see him suffer with this terrible decease and ultimately to lose this wonderful caring, generous and loving man.

I chose this particular charity as so many people suffer with heartburn and it is typically dismissed as a harmless problem. Yet, long-term persistent heartburn is a significant symptom of a type of oesophogeal cancer. Cancer of the oesophagus is now the fifth greatest cancer killer. Despite modern cancer treatment survival rates are appalling, mainly because diagnosis is made when the condition is too far advanced.

So, prevention is better than cure!

Before cancer Kevin and I were always on diet... not always successfully, but we tried. He was a regular at the lovely Emma's Slimming World class in Crowthorne. After he started to have symptoms and lost a lot of weight very quickly,  becoming "Slimmer of the week" and "Slimmer of the month" in one week he was obviously horrified and upset. This was one of the first signs there was something wrong, and needless to say he didn't want to accept the awards as he was so worried and he didn't feel they were deserved. Kevin was already in the process of seeking medical help.The rest is history...

I've always struggled with my weight, and with the challenges of the last 18 months it has become even more difficult to be motivated to do something. So, I've decided to make an effort to start again and make it more public as an incentive, as well as asking Emma to help me with my weight-loss, and officially monitor my progress, for report back on this forum.

Not one to shy away from challenges I've set myself the challenging target of losing 20 kg's (3 stone or 42lbs in old weight) in 5 months time. Official weigh in Monday 2nd October. Equally I'm going to challenge all our friends and family to help me raise £20 for every pound of weight I lose... (Since starting I've adjusted the weight loss target to 22.5kgs (3.5 stone), fundraising to £1,000, and as I’m doing it in Kevin's memory, set completion date for 13th June 2018 which is the anniversary of when we lost him).

There you go... gauntlet down...

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