My journey with cancer has been long, frightening, exhausting, and at times utterly devastating. It has tested me physically, emotionally, and mentally in ways I never imagined possible. Living with cancer is not just about treatment plans and hospital appointments - it’s about fear, uncertainty, loss of control, and the constant weight of not knowing what comes next.

Along this journey, I have been supported by incredible cancer charities. Cancer Support Suffolk have not only supported me personally during some of my darkest moments, but they have also stood beside Hope To Connect, the dream that Mandeep and I are determined to bring to life for others facing a cancer diagnosis.

Hope To Connect was born from lived experience - from loneliness, fear, grief, and isolation. Mandeep (my fellow co-founder of Hope to Connect) and I both know this world far too well, but from different sides of the cancer journey.

Mandeep has lost people she loves deeply to cancer. Those losses have left a lasting impact on her life and shaped who she is today. Living with grief, watching people you adore suffer, and then having to carry on without them is something that never truly leaves you. Cancer didn’t just take her loved ones, it changed her world.

She wants to honour the people she has lost by helping others feel less alone. She wants to turn grief into something meaningful. And she wants to help create a future where connection, understanding, and support are easier to find when cancer turns life upside down.

Cancer is traumatic. It doesn’t just affect the person diagnosed - it ripples out to families, friends, children, and entire communities. It takes so much from you - your health, your energy, your confidence, your plans, and often your sense of safety. When you are living with cancer, support is not a luxury; it is a lifeline. That is why supporting these charities means so much to Mandeep and I.

These organisations are there when people are scared, overwhelmed, grieving, or exhausted. They offer comfort, information, understanding, and community at a time when life feels unbearably heavy. They were there for me. They believed in Hope To Connect. And they continue to support countless others who are walking this path right now.

This community Just Giving page, and every person who supports it, is our way of giving back. Because when cancer takes so much from you, you feel a deep need to support the very organisations that can support you back. It is about gratitude, solidarity, and ensuring that help continues to exist for the next person who hears the words, “You have cancer.”

Recently, my own cancer journey has taken a heartbreaking turn. My prognosis has changed, and I now have to face chemotherapy again. I won’t pretend that this hasn’t devastated me. Coming to terms with the fact that things have reached this stage is incredibly hard, and there is grief in that, grief for the future I hoped for, and the life I imagined with my 17-year-old daughter who I'll be leaving behind.

And yet, this is exactly why this World Record attempt matters so much to both of us.

This event is about turning pain into purpose. It’s about bringing people together to raise vital funds for five incredible cancer charities. It’s about creating something positive from something so painful. And it’s about showing that even in the hardest moments, kindness, connection, and community can still shine through.

By supporting this JustGiving page, you are not just donating - you are helping people feel less alone, supporting families through unimaginable times, and ensuring these charities can continue their life-changing work.

Thank you for supporting us. Thank you for supporting these charities. And thank you for helping us give back, together. 💗