We were just like everyone else in 2015, of course we had heard of brain tumours, but never until we had the dreadful news did we know how many people are effected or have been killed by this horrible
disease. It's not like cancer you see, it's not talked about! In March 2015 my wife was diagnosed with a grade 2 Oligodendroglioma. We took the decision to wait until September 2015 for surgery as we had a holiday booked and of course the worry was she wouldn't  be here. In September 2015 Charlotte went under the knife for a nine hour operation (  of which she had to be awake, due to the
position of the tumour and possible loss of left side function permanently). As you can imagine I spent that nine hours pacing the floor backwards and forwards.  The phone call came to say Charlotte was in recovery the best call I have had yet! Charlotte spent 10 days in hospital and was quite poorly,  also had to regain some function in her left-arm but after 10 days we got mum and wife back home and try to continue life as normal. Then bang in May 2016 Charlotte woke up and wasn't very happy with her wound in her head so there we were on a Sunday afternoon at Leeds General Infirmary to see the
doctors. Before we could actually comprehend what was going on Charlotte was back under the knife on the Monday morning to have The right side of her skull removed as infection had eaten away at it. Another 10 days in hospital on IV antibiotics and we get mum and wife home again to start another recovery process. Charlotte spent the next four months with a whole/dent in her head as
there was no protection there. In September 2016 another operation to fit a titanium plate where the skull had been taken out. Throughout all this process Charlotte was still continuing to have regular MRI scans to check on the tumour growth, we know that the tumour was not cancerous however there was 5% of the tumour still left in, this was unable to be taken out due to the risk of the loss of her left side forever. You try your best not to spend every day thinking
about the tumour but it's hard, I think as a family we have been very strong supportive and try to keep everything together especially for the children. In February 2017 at a regular results check after scan, the dreadful news came again the tumour was back, this time however it was intruding both sides of the brain so was a concern that we need to get in quickly. Myself and Charlotte spoke to the consultant and were given the radiotherapy/chemotherapy option.

 On further discussion on the understanding that you can only have radiotherapy once in a lifetime we decided together that going in for surgery was the best
option. let's try and get this out once and for all. So here we go again on
March 7, 2017 Charlotte went in for further surgery this time it was seven
hours and was awake for around three of it, she really struggled with this one as was not very well during surgery and also had a seizure. Once again, superwoman flew through surgery and was home three days later again however the loss of movement on the left side which we are still working on to this day.
What I failed to mention at the start of this was at the first diagnosis
Charlotte was told she was unable to drive, now due to all the unforeseen circumstances and operations this goes on until March 2018. 

Charlotte now has regular MRI scans and we hope and pray that we have this thing under control!

We are departing Southport on Thursday 29th
June and walking a 101 mile “Trans Pennine Trail” route to Clayton West Cricket
Club which is about half way across the country and the mid way point of the
TPT. We will be passing through Aintree and past Liverpool as we head towards
Liverpool Airport near Speke on day 1, 29 miles. On day 2 we head towards
Altringham via Widnes a lighter 21 miles, on day 3 we have a mammoth 34 miles
to walk up to Torside Reservoir which is at the foothills of the Pennines,  due to arrive back into Clayton West on
Sunday 2nd July at lunch time (dependant on weather, feet, and general well
being). We will be walking an average of 25 miles per day, so just short of a
marathon every day for 4 days and on the final day will need to climb and cross
the Pennines, dropping back down through Holmfirth and then on towards
Penistone before hitting Denby Dale and then home to Clayton West

My children and friends will be meeting us in Denby Dale to walk the last couple of miles  towards that well deserved pint (or two)!

None of the 4 walkers are serial walkers
and this will be a real challenge of mind over matter. 4 men and a challenge!”

A big thank you to Paul Dyer who is taking time out to support drive, this enables the men to take more, such as spare footwear, suncream, extra water etc.