Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity. So it’s the most efficient way to donate – saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

I am petrified of heights but would like to overcome this fear. I have set this personal challenge of the longest zipwire in Europe and the fastest in the world, all of this takes place 500ft above an old disused quarry in Wales. I will be taking on the Zip World Velocity challenge. I have attached a link to the website for those who are interesting in finding out more info about it.  http://www.zipworld.co.uk/ I am also looking to wear a headcam during my challenge and post the footage on here once complete (will try not to swear haha) :-)

The reason behind choosing this is charity is :-

Like any normal 31 year old I regularly checked myself in the shower etc, then I discovered a 'lump' I rang the doctors and requested a second opinion. At first because of my age and because I wasn't overweight, didn't smoke and wasn't taking any contraception I was advised it was probably just a 'cyst' until I mentioned I had a vague recollection of 'something' on my fathers side and a connection to St Mary's Genetic Hospital in Manchester as I was estranged from my father I didn't have much more information. On hearing this they contacted St Mary's for further details only to be informed they couldn't divulge any patient information because of data protection and needed a direct link to that particular family tree who was already on their records. Luckily I was in contact with my fathers brother who had to give his written consent to information being disclosed.

Whilst this was going on to be on the safe side I was sent for an ultrasound, mammogram and biopsy, with the results coming back positive. I subsequently had a 'lumpectomy' and chemotherapy treatment and when I was well enough to travel etc. I attended St Marys Hospital for testing for the BRCA1 gene fault (which was positive) and further advice etc.  They together with the Genesis Breast Cancer Prevention Research Centre have advised and guided me through the affects of having this gene fault and what complications come with that. I eventually chose to have a bilateral mastectomy with immediate reconstruction with a view to having my ovaries out at a later date (before I turn 40, which is when my risk of ovarian cancer development increases to 80-90%) They recommended an appropriate surgeon etc and I with a few weeks I had the operation.

Many years have passed now and I will be turning the dreaded 40 within a few months and have started to make preparations to have my ovaries removed.

Once Professor Gareth Evans from The Genesis Breast Cancer Prevention Research Centre heard my story he approached me to ask permission to help him with a media campaign around a current law which prevents doctors passing on medical history/information to people from estranged families who are known to be part of a particular 'high risk' gene pool. Otherwise, like myself they pass under their radar and cannot access the closer screening/monitoring process. If I had been on their 'radar' my outcome could have been very different. Now thankfully we have been included within the family tree and future generations of our family can be closely monitored.

Without the work/research etc The Genesis Trust do familial genetic cancers keep being passed down from generation to generation. Everyone is aware of Breast Cancer Care and Cancer Research. But not many people know about the genetic side of this disease when there are many children being born already with very high probabilities of developing cancer, this can be as much 70-80% probability and often at quite young ages. 

Please kindly help in any way you possibly can, every bit you do will be greatly appreciated.

Love Col x