8 years ago we were in the lucky position of never having had cancer touch our lives.  Fastforward to 2011 and the story is so different.  Those of you who know us well know that in 2007 we lost my beautiful sister Nic to breast cancer.  She was diagnosed in 2004 at 29 years of age, and fought bravely for nearly 3 years - enduring chemotherapy, radiotherapy and mastectomy surgery. We all believed she would get better...because she was so young...because she had a young daughter...because she didn't deserve to die from this awful disease.  In early 2007 seconday cancer was diagnosed and a few weeks later, at 31 years old, Nic died from a pulmonary embolism caused by bone cancer in her spine.  She didn't see her little girl reach her 5th birthday. 

Nic was not just my sister, she was my best friend, and her death has left a huge gaping hole in mine and my family's lives.  We miss her everyday.

This story is not just about Nic though, but also 2 other women who I am so privileged to be related to.  While my sister endured her own cancer hell, my maternal grandmother was diagnosed with DCIS, a non invasive breast cancer for which the recommended treatment was a full mastectomy.  She was 82 and refused the surgery opting to take tamoxifen instead - despite her consultant's misgivings, her tumour shrank.  Bravo Nan!....you may not be with us now but it was not breast cancer that took your life.  I always think of my late Nan as quite feisty, and I love that she took on this disease  and won.

Two years ago and my mum Chris went for her routine mammogram - completely out of the blue she was diagnosed with breast cancer.  Having already lost her eldest child to breast cancer, nursing her through chemotherapy and surgery, having seen this awful illness first hand she now faced it herself.  My mum kept telling me that she wasn't brave enough to face cancer and cancer treatment, but a mastectomy and 2 years later, she is cancer free, although I know that for her the fear of it returning never goes away.

3 amazing women,  I consider myself  the luckiest person in the world to be your sister, granddaughter and daughter.  You are truly an inspiration with your courage and fighting spirit.

I would not have survived the last few years without the support of my wonderful husband Simon.  He has been hankering after running a marathon for some time....well here it is!  Robin Hood Marathon in Nottingham on Sunday 11th September!  He has let me hijack the occasion to raise funds for Breakthrough Breast Cancer and in return I am running the half marathon event (something I never thought I would do!). 

Please please support us, you can find out more about the amazing work Breakthrough Breast Cancer do by visiting their website http://breakthrough.org.uk/   Over the last ten years Breakthrough has developed an enviable track record of success in breast cancer research, with a reputation for funding pioneering, world-class research that is rapidly translated to the clinic for patient benefit. 

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Susan and Simon xx