Hey guys!

Thank you so much for visiting this page and (hopefully!) making a donation to this amazing charity.

I wanted to tell you a little bit why I have chosen Prostate Cancer and what it means...

A few years ago, my dad John was diagnosed with Prostate Cancer.  It was a shock to the whole family as dad wasn't feeling particularly poorly and none of us had noticed anything different.  So to be told your dad has cancer knocked me and my brother Roy for six!  Dad had all of the treatment and later that year got the all clear - amazing! 

A couple of years on, mum and dad re located from Hertfordshire to the Isle Of Wight where they had always dreamed of living.  About 3 months after they moved in, dad was moving some boxes in the garage and felt quite a sharp pain in his stomach.  After various doctors and hospital appointments he finally got his scan results back.  Dad had a 22cm cancerous tumour in his liver.  We couldn't quite believe it, how did this happen without any signs?  It had been growing for years!  So now dad had another battle to face and to be told that you have a 50/50 chance of surviving the operation was terrifying. Dad stayed strong (because he is a tough old boy!) and went into the operation with a positive mind. Half a day later, mum had a call from the surgeon to say that the operation had been successful and that they managed to get nearly all of the tumour out - hoorah!  The surgeon couldn't actually believe himself how well it had gone!  Eventually as dad came round, the surgeon informed dad that it would take at least a year to recover and to be back to his proper self. A few weeks later and a very mahoooosive (and really quite impressive) scar, dads pretty much back to his normal self - walking/eating/moaning!  All of us were shocked including all the doctors and surgeons.  What a guy!

Fast forward another year (May 2015)...

 Dad decided he wanted to use his bus pass one particular Monday so off he went with his next door neighbour on an adventure to BHS and the cake shop a few miles up the road on the bus!  As they were walking down the stairs in BHS (gotta love a bit of bhs) dads knee gave way and he fell down a few steps.  He had been complaining of knee pain but we put it down to his knee op years back. 

An ambulance arrived and off he went to hospital once again.  The first results and observation by a doctor was 'no problems that we can see, you can go home'.  Excellent we thought!  A week later there was a slight panicked phone call from a different doctor explaining that dad needed to return to hospital as a matter of urgency as there was a chance his leg would basically, snap.  WHAT!  

So off dad went again for an op, this time on his leg.  At this stage none of us really had a clue what was happening as everything was moving so quickly.  

A few days later, mum and dad went in for more results.  Unfortunately it was news we didn't ever want to hear again. Dad had cancer, not in one place but three.  Prostate, Liver and bones.  My poor dad;(  After years of fighting off this awful disease it was back again and this time it is very aggressive.   Dad was told he has months, perhaps a year to live.  

As you can imagine we were all and still are totally destroyed BUT we are staying positive and strong for dad, we have to! Even though dad can't walk now, he still does everything he used to do - albeit a little slower!  It is funny watching mum race dad around in his wheelchair like she's taking part in a stock car race.  And we can't help but laugh at dad on his mobility scooter wearing his hoodie, ray ban aviators and chequered van slip ons!!!  He is just a cool dude basically;)

So this is why I am raising money for Prostate Cancer - it's always kind of been there lurking in the background.  The treatment for this cancer has come on leaps and bounds though - even from the time dad had it years ago to him having it now I can see how far they have moved on with it.  It's so so important to keep raising lot's and lot's so that in the future hopefully lot's more lives will be saved.

You all know how passionate I am about teaching Insanity and exercise so I thought what better way to raise money than to have an Insanity Live Charity day!  I really hope you can all join me on the 12th September 2015.

Thanks you so much for reading (and sorry for the essay)

Big Love,

Amy-Jo xxxxx

(AKA - Simpson)