Hello there,

It is difficult to describe for someone a pIace to which they have never been – in this instance for me, one where your world is irrevocably and unceremoniously changed forever.

I can still vividly recall that day when I received the phonecall from Anne as she drove home from the hospital, having just being diagnosed with a malignant tumour as part of a routine cancer screening. It is not often that my good wife is stuck for words, but on this occasion the silence was deafening, and her distress palpable, and I was miles away and powerless to do anything to help her.

What did call this mean, becoming one of those affected by the proverbial big “C”. It isn’t something that any of us routinely give great thought to, that is until that day when fate comes knocking on your door, and suddenly you are faced with more questions than you have answers.

Aside from the trust you immediately place in the myriad of healthcare professionals with whom you now begin to build close and long term relationships, there’s a huge and parallel impact upon your family? The fundamental question becomes “what if”. What if Anne’s cancer is incurable or too far gone, what if it is genetic and whether or not we should get the girls assessed, what if the surgeons don’t manage to remove all of the tumour, what if the chemotherapy isn’t thoroughly successful, what if the radiotherapy increases the risk of heart disease, what if she suffers remission or what if, what if Anne, like both of her parents dies from this cancer? That was our 10 year olds first question; “Is Mammy going to die?”

You find that there are many of these questions it is either impossible or very difficult to answer. No one wants to consider losing a loved one, and I for one didn’t want to countenance losing my soul mate and best friend. The only certainties are the facts as presented by the medical professionals in respect of the therapies they can offer, and the results that follow. You, and the many others that you now meet regularly who have also fallen prey to the cancer disease, become wholly reliant upon their judgement, advice, support and experience. We were extremely fortunate in being assisted by a fantastic group of people in the 3 different hospitals in which Anne was treated, not to mention the many other clinics and advisory groups that provided counselling and lifestyle assistance in helping Anne successfully overcome her cancer.

We’re almost over the finishing line now, and both of us would love to give something significant back as a mark of our eternal gratitude to everyone that helped us at every turn on our journey over the past 12 months. Thus, I am asking for your support by way of a donation, however much you can spare. We intend offering whatever we collect toward preventative research in order that fewer people in future might receive such a fateful phone call as that which changed our lives.

Mise le meas

Darren

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.