My New Year’s Resolution for 2018 was to get fit following inspiration from a friend at work who is negating getting older with getting fitter! After struggling to run my first 2km on the treadmill in January, my lovely friend Jo got me out running 5kms round Epsom and Ewell before we entered a 10km race in June. I then decided to push my running distances further and entered the Royal Parks Half Marathon after being offered a charity place by Bowel Cancer UK. I chose a training plan, which I followed for all of one week whilst blaming the hot summer weather, knee injuries and my children's social life for getting in the way!! Since the cooler weather returned in September, I have been running as much as I can with little time to go before the big day on the 14th October. I got up to 18km last weekend and I am now just hoping I can manage the extra 3km on the day!

I am proud to be running the Royal Parks Half Marathon to support Bowel Cancer UK and I hope to raise as much as I can to help other families impacted by bowel cancer. The charity works to raise awareness of this horrific cancer and are currently promoting their campaign #Never2Young which is very close to my heart.  

60% of young adults are diagnosed with more advanced stage 3 or 4 cancer, often due to delays in getting diagnosed. I am part of this statistic. A survey undertaken by Bowel Cancer UK on young people diagnosed with bowel cancer found that 70% of men and 46% of women who asked the GP if their symptoms could be bowel cancer felt that the GP dismissed it because they were too young.

There is unfortunately a pre-conception by both the general public and some GPs that bowel cancer is an older person’s illness, but this perception needs to change. When diagnosed at stage 1 (earliest stage) there is a 90% survival chance compared to only 8% at stage 4. The Bowel Cancer UK campaign #Never2Young is leading the change for younger patients by reviewing bowel cancer diagnosis and improving treatment in order to help stop people dying.

It is also so important that you familiarise yourself with the symptoms of bowel cancer as it could save your life. Please take the time to read: www.bowelcanceruk.org.uk/about-bowel-cancer/symptoms/

Cancer is tough, it never goes away even after treatment has finished with the constant fear of its return. All I can do is hope that I will be OK and try and keep as mentally and physically strong as I can for myself and my beautiful family and friends.

It would mean a lot if you would sponsor me for my half marathon to help stop people dying of bowel cancer.  Thank you so much.

Bowel Cancer UK:

We’re the UK’s leading bowel cancer charity.We fund targeted research, provide expert information and support to patients and their families, educate the public and professionals about the disease and campaign for early diagnosis and access to best treatment and care.We’re here to stop people dying of bowel cancer.