(Don't worry the dog's not doing it - Scooby's our mascot! As you can see, he's super happy about it...)

Working for a cancer charity, sadly I know only too well just how many people have sat staring at this ‘story’ box wondering exactly how the hell to put this into words. I never thought I’d be one of them.

Then again I never thought I’d be lucky enough to marry a man as wonderful as my husband, or be made to feel so welcome by his kind, loving, loud (and sometimes crazy) family. You always pull together, through good times and the not so good, doing whatever you can, however you can, making each other’s days constantly better.

About a month ago my father-in-law was diagnosed with cancer in his lungs, which has spread to his lymph nodes and stomach. It was a huge shock, one that nothing can really prepare you for.

The last few weeks have been a roller-coaster, but thankfully his treatment is going well. Un-shockingly he is handling it all exceptionally well, telling dad jokes and soothing his nurses rather than the other way around. And he still won’t stop trying to get me into football. Or more accurately Crystal Palace (a complete history).  

Of course, when we got this news, all we wanted to do was help. In the absence of a medical degree -  and the fear that he might throttle is if we asked ‘how are you feeling?’ one more time – we turned to the next best thing. Inflicting pain on our bodies to raise money for his chosen charity – Cancer Research UK. It is because of this charity that he is undergoing his current treatments. I don’t think there are words that can express how grateful we, and so many other families, are for their life saving research and support.  

So please dig deep for this incredible cause, as me, my husband and his best mate take on a 50KM hike in a single day. Together, we can help obliterate this terrible disease, so no one ever has to write the word cancer in their 'story' box ever again.

Thank you!