On 5 January 2019, our lovely world was thrown upside down. Richard had been a bit grumpy over Christmas because he was getting huge pain in his arm. If anyone knows Richard, this wasn't like him. 

He had been to the doctor a few times but any medication he received just wasn't helping. Eventually we went to the walk-in centre at the Haywood where he was referred to A and E at the Royal Stoke. Gracie was footballing so I left Richard at the hospital and went to pick her up. We came back, not thinking for one second that it would be anything serious. Then the bombshell came. A lovely doctor told us Richard's arm was broken but it was a cancerous tumour that had caused the break. Life was never to be the same again. I am crying now writing this as I recall Gracie's little worried face and that terrible feeling of fear and  dread of what was to come. To be honest with cancer, I don't think that feeling ever really goes away. 

Live well with cancer. That is what they say and that is what Richard, my trojan of a husband, does every day. After what felt like forever (three months) and all the time Richard was in huge pain, we got a diagnosis and a way forward. We were told that Richard had stage 4 kidney cancer which had spread to his left humerus bone, eroding it away. An operation was scheduled at the Royal Orthopedic Hospital in Birmingham where the tumour and his arm bone would be removed and a prosthetic alternative would be put in place. From there, if deemed possibe then his kidney was to be removed and treatment thereafter. 

They say people battle with cancer and that really is the case with Richard. We are just eternally grateful that right now he is one of the lucky ones. Against all the odds and despite a number of setbacks when we had further devastating news that the cancer had spread after his kidney was removed, Richard is doing amazingly well. 

And that is where the Christie Hospital comes in. It's one of the best cancer hospitals in the country and after a series of issues, we were thrilled that we managed to get Richard successfully referred there. It's where in September 2019, he started his monthly immunotherapy treatment and he has never looked back since. 

From his amazing consultant Dr Manon Pillai, to the nurses and all the staff at the Christie, they have always given us hope, help and positivity. Nothing has ever been too much trouble. They go out of their way to support Richard as the 40 something year-old man, dad, husband, brother and friend that he is. They look at him as a human, an individual and not just a patient. Most of all they give us peace of mind and belief for what lies ahead. 

And there is still a long, hard road ahead. Every month Richard goes for his immunotherapy - often described as a type of chemo - which can really put you through the mill.  Then we have the scans every three months where you wait with your breath held to find out the results. Scanxiety is as hard as they say it is, your life gets put on hold and it never seems to get any easier no matter how many scans you go through.

But thank god, Richard's had some amazing results so far - the treatment's working and seems to have seen the tumours off. So much so, his last scan results which were earlier this week reaffirmed that no measurable disease remains. For us, it is truly a miracle that he has come so far and so much of that is down to the support and help provided by the Christie. It is obviously down to Richard too of course but he is generally a humble soul that doesn't really take credit for the fight that he's put in. And if you know Richard you probably won't realise anything is wrong as he smiles through it all no matter what he faces.

And that's why Gracie and Richard are fundraising for the Christie. It is a great place where nothing ever feels too much bother and that has helped us more than words can express.

They are walking 50 miles from Stoke-on-Trent to Sheffield in three days. That's no mean feat anyway but for an 11 year old and a man who yesterday had his 21st treatment, it is pretty blinking spectacular. They are carrying all they need on their back too so think Gold Duke of Edinburgh style and you get the picture. 

I am trying to play my part too. On 11 June, I am doing the Great North Swim- a mile open water swim in Lake Windermere.  I will also be swimming the equivalent of the distance of the channel in training too so I can actually make it across the lake - that's 22 miles in total. 

So any donations you feel inclined to give would be amazing. Please don't feel obliged to donate but if you do, please know we, and the Christie, would hugely appreciate it. Thank you so much for all your help and support. We love our life together and hope and pray that long, long, long may that continue  

Emma, Richard and Gracie

Xxxx

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