This is so much more than a fundraiser for me..........

At the end of 2016 I was diagnosed with secondary melanoma, stage 3.  I was given a life line by way of an inguinal lymph node dissection removing a malignant tumour from my inner leg and a lot of the lymph nodes in my upper leg and across my abdomen.  Without the surgery I was told that I would only have 6 months to live.  As for many, my cancer treatment and operation did not provide a cure and it came at a cost.  

I was quickly diagnosed with lymphoedema in my left leg.  This is a result of the lymphatic system being damaged and an impaired lymphatic system causes swelling, lots of swelling!  Other side effects include pain, difficulty with movement, headaches and repeated infections.  This combined with the post surgery muscle and nerve damage means I constantly fall, trip and have difficulty walking on an incline or on uneven surfaces.

All this aside, the surgery has bought me more time!  Being a goal driven person, one of the most difficult challenges has been to come to terms with  the reality that the time I have left has to be one of comprise.  Dream holidays, milestones and former personal goals are no longer an option for me and even my daily routine has had to change forever.  Change I must; but I will not give up though!!   I want to make the most of the time I have left and here’s hoping I have another year or two to fill with new goals.

The year that followed my surgery involved a lot of experimenting with
what my body could no longer do and what was within the realms of
possibility.   Sadly, that was somewhat less than my previous daily 5k runs and visits to the gym. It involved increasing my range of movement, strengthening my muscles in my leg and core and building my endurance one step at a time.   

The ‘Girls Night Out’ walk  was a fundraiser I had planned to do the year of my diagnosis, but as life set me on a different course I then wasn’t sure if it was something I would ever be able to do.   This year I have worked hard on building up my strength and have decided I am going to give it a go with the help of my daughter Jessie walking by my side, (Maybe giving me a piggy back to the finish line)!   My medical professionals think this is a ‘little’ ambitious but they feel my stubbornness and determination is the reason for me still being here today and being able to give consideration to attempting this walk.   It feels so much more important to me now than it did two years ago due to the challenges it presents for me, the time I have left to make a difference and knowing that it will one day be me and my family in this hospice saying our goodbyes, so please help us to raise some funds for a worthy cause and in honour of my desire to keep beating the odds for as long as I can.

We thank you for reading our JustGiving page as raising awareness for  cancer,  lymphoedema and the work of the hospice are all important to me.  We would really appreciate  anything you could donate, however small as St Nicholas Hospice offer emotional and physical support every day to families dealing with long-term and life-threatening illnesses in West Suffolk and Thetford.  Their services are entirely free to all, but they heavily rely on fundraising and support.

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.