Our team has decided to participate in Sober October 2020 in aid of Maggies and cancer. All of us in the team have been effected by someone being diagnosed with or losing someone to cancer. We feel that Maggies are a huge support to those receiving cancer treatment along with the families of those involved and can sometimes slip under the radar when it comes to fundraising due to bigger cancer charities. Alongside this we all love a vino and a party and this is going to take some serious will power to ensure that we can raise as much awareness and funds as possible for Maggies. On 1st October 2019 (day 1 of breast cancer awareness month) my mum was diagnosed with breast cancer. This came as a huge shock to everyone as my mum had no signs or symtoms of breast cancer and is a fit and healthy young woman. My mum attended her regular mamogram screening appointment and she was recalled for a second mamogram. We still believed that this was going to be ‘a bad picture’ and that she was being recalled for a precautionary mamogram. Oh how we were wrong. The week waiting for the return of biopsy results felt like years. Our world crumbled around us. My mum was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer and was advised that with surgery for removal of the lump, alongside some lymph nodes and radiotherapy that they could remove the cancer. After first surgery they advised that second surgery was required to ensure they removed the mass. Following second surgery 6 weeks of Radiotherapy. A few days following the completion of my mums radiotheapy, what should have been a celebration, we received the news that my papa (mums dad) had terminal cancer. This was via a phone call, to my mum, due to Covid-19. Papa was given 6-18 months survival and unfortunately 3 short months later on 13th July 2020 my papa passed away. During an appointment with mum to the western general cancer unit we popped by maggies. It felt warm, welcoming and a retreat for cancer patients and their families to attend to get advise, support and escape from the world of ’the big C’. Most of the staff in Maggies are voluntary and donations go a long way to improving the centre that sits next to the cancer unit at the Western General Hospital in Edinburgh, hence the reason my mum decided that it felt like the perfect charity to donate to.