In December 2019, I found a small lump in my armpit which I was conscious of due to my dad being diagnosed with Non- Hodgkin's lymphoma four months prior. But I decided just to keep an eye on it. 

By the end of January 2020, I had found a lump in my boob and visited the Dr's. Two weeks later I was told that at 35, I had breast cancer. Many, many scans and tests followed, including a scare it had already spread to my liver (which would have made it incurable). Lady luck was on my side and it hadn't. It was however stage 2 and triple positive (being fed by both hormones and the more aggressive Her2 protein). 

2020 was a rubbish year for everyone but my motto has always been that there is always someone worse off. I am well aware of that even with the year I have had. Seven rounds of brutal chemotherapy and targeted therapy, surgery, 15 rounds of radiotherapy and now a further 14 rounds of combined chemo and bone infusions, as well as just starting out on 10 years of hormone therapy and I'm exhausted, my brain is foggy (to say the least) and my body is a bit broken! But I am here to tell the tale and I would take all 18 months of active treatment again if it meant I see 10 years and more. Many, many others are not that lucky. 

Thanks to Breast Cancer Now's research, I was eligible for drugs which until recently had only been used in metastatic cancer. Trials however had shown they halved the reoccurrence in primary breast cancers. When told that you are high risk of reoccurrence those are odds anyone would take. I have also used other services they provided, particularly during lockdown which was a tough period enduring chemo too. I can not rate them highly enough. 

The team and I are cycling London to Brighton (100k) to help raise valuable funds for Breast Cancer Now, as well as Ovarian Cancer Action and Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust. Most of the team didn't own a bike and couldn't even ride to the shops before this challenge and are reliant on the couple of more experienced cyclists to help us through! It is a huge physical challenge for most of us, with most of us fit for scrap! This page is joint sponsorship for us all. 

This challenge will also come 5 days after my last and 20th round of chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is cumulative and the side effects build round by round. Fatigue and joint pain being the main ones. I'm not sure yet how I will do it but with my friends and family there, we will all push each other on.

So please, anything you can donate is gratefully received. Words that will forever stick in my mind are when my oncologist told me that the aggressive part of my cancer would have been a death sentence had I been born 40 years earlier or even in third world countries today, as they do not have access to the drugs available from research to treat it. That's utterly tragic but also demonstrates just how far things have come for the lucky ones. 

Please help these charities continue to improve treatment and support those when they need it most. 1 in 2 will be effected by cancer. Don't let it be too late for someone you love. THANK YOU!

****UPDATE**** 

Due to many factors, Covid included, this didn't go ahead in 2021 as planned. However we will now be cycling on 3rd July 2022. I would like to say that it's allowed extra training time but having some shred of a normal life has been more appealing for most of us instead! 

Although it's amazing what being a year on from the 20th chemo does to your ability to exercise this will still be a huge challenge for me and all of us involved (particularly those doggy hipped few!) I still contend with side effects of past and current treatment everyday. The fight against cancer doesn't stop so any pennies you can spare are still very much appreciated.

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.