At 16 years old my Mum was diagnosed with breast cancer ! At this age I was painfully aware of what this meant.

My Mum battled bravely and without complaint for almost 5 years but just after my 21st birthday she died peacefully in her sleep at home on 13th December 1994. This left my Dad, my sister (who was 15 at the time) and myself devestated 2 weeks before Christmas.

We all grieved and solidered on for another 5 years and then my Dad told me he had been diagnosed with Mesothelioma (cancer of the lung from exposure to asbestos!) This knocked me for 6 and I was left reeling!!! How could this be happening, was it not enough that my Mum had been taken away from me .... why was my Dad being effected. I became very closed off !!!! I had already lost Mum to a natural cancer now Dad had contracted a man made version of this horrendous disease...... How was that fair??? Surely it was my right to have one parent to see all my milestones in life.

Sadly Dad passed away on the 10th January 2002 whilst on holiday in Mexico......he always did have to do things in style!!!!! I was left rebuilding my life once again this time without both my parents.......something I never dreamed would happen on my 21st birthday less than a decade before.

The days became months and the months have become years and the pain had just about numbed until 6 years ago when my beautiful twin boys were born. I realised that mixed in with my feeling of love and joy for my boys, was a renewed longing to share these new moments of our lives with my folks......I have missed them more in the past 6 years than I did in the first 15 years.

Missing my graduations, promotion, marriage and daily triumphs was nothing now, to them missing out on their beautiful grandchildren.

Aptly my first born William Peter, is named after his Grandad and he has an unmistaken look of a Dodd too. Alexander Steven, his twin, has his Grandad Ludlam's name and there is no mistakening him as a Ludlam !!!

Why am I raising money now for cancer research after almost 20 years you may ask ...................the answer is completely selfish ....... I'm hoping that my donations will, in some way go towards finding some sort of reliable treatment and hopefully a cure, so that in 30 years time my little men are not having to raise money in MY memory......... I want to be there to see their daily truimphs, grow up, finish school, graduate or play football for England (and buy me a big house!!!) get married and I want to see my Grandkids.....

SIMPLES...........................................................................................

Also I have recently found out that one of our family friends has been stricken down with this illness before their 30th birthday.... this family has a child who is not yet 2 years old!!!! I hope Cancer reseaerch find something to prolong this families life together !!!

Unfortunately since I set this page up - this family has lost their short 4 month battle aginst this disease and Hayley has sadly left us.

I am honoured that her husband and family are allowing me to run the GNR in Hayley's memory and everything I raise will be donated in her memory.

Thank you for reading my story and I am overwhelmed by any donation you can make towards my personal fight against Cancer and keeping families together for longer!