Cancer is a word everyone dreads, a word you no one ever wants to hear - never want associated with family, friends, work colleagues, friends of friends and so forth. Cancer now sadly effects 1 in 2 people in the UK. 

Bladder Cancer was one of the cancers I had never heard of until Christmas and a lot of people I have spoken with haven’t heard of it either - this is something which needs to change. 

I am rowing a Marathon 26.2 miles over 26 days next month from the 15th April to help to raise funds for the Research and Awareness of Bladder Cancer on behalf of Action Bladder Cancer UK. 

•Bladder Cancer is the 7th most common cancer in the UK and 4th most common in men.

•It is the most expensive Cancer to treat yet Research is seriously under funded with less than 1% of the research funds going toward Bladder cancer (0.6%). 

•Hardly any new treatments have been developed for 30 years. 

•Bladder cancer has highest reoccurrence rate of any known Cancer (up to 80%). 

•Sadly, it is the only top 10 cancer where the prognosis is getting worse. 

•10,500 people across the UK will be diagnosed with Bladder cancer a year - only 50% of them will survive. 

•Bladder cancer is a forgotten or ‘Cinderella’ cancer. 

Bladder cancer is an extremely silent Cancer which often will go untreated until the later stages due to the low awareness and similarities of symptoms to UTIs. So please see the following Symptoms to be aware of and look out for in both men and women: 

•Blood In urine 

•Frequent unrination

•Pain during urination

•Lower back pain 

If you have any of these symptoms please push your GP as much as possible to test your urine to rule out Cancer ASAP. There are also home tests you can use to help, please see following links https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00VZZBGOI?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share and https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00HGD2ZM0?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share - please use these to push your GP for a refferal. 

Anyone who knows me well will know how difficult I find rowing so this will be a massive challenge for me (it works out to be just under 2k a day). 

I will be looking to hopefully raise £1000 to go toward Bladder Cancer Action Bladder UK Research, any thing you could spare could help or any share of the symptoms to help raise awareness would mean so much - Thank you in advance.

Most importantly, I will be dedicating my marathon row to my Dad who is currently fighting the disease. Every single second is for you x