I remember full well when my mum was first diagnosed with breast cancer.  That was 12 years ago and I was 14 and Oliver was 12.  Mum and Dad sat Oliver and I down and explained the diagnosis and the possible outcomes.  Despite their best efforts my world fell apart - and has never been quite the same since.  Fast forward till June 2017, and the awful news that the cancer had returned, was present in her back and pelvis, and this time there was no hope of a cure.  By its nature metastatic cancer is incurable.  

Mum first went on to a conventional tablet form of chemotherapy - but the debilitating effects were unbearable and she was ready to concede the cure was more unbearable than the illness when the oncologist proposed a new targeted therapy treatment.  This worked well for 12 months and mums quality of life was much improved - pain was down and mobility was up.  Oliver and I have many happy memories of this period when life went back to normal for a while.  The treatment stopped working after 12 months and mum made the brave decision in September 2018 to halt the treatment, rule out a return to chemotherapy and do her utmost to enjoy the time left to her.  With such an uncertain future I decided to bring forward my wedding planned for April 2019, to October 2018.  And what a day.  The happiest day of my life, and I am so grateful I shared it with my mum.  

We know the clock is ticking down and our time with mum will be cut short.  But I cherish the times we have shared and shall embrace every opportunity to make the most of all the time we have left.  

Cancer has caused my family and I considerable pain.  As it has to so many others.  But I believe that even if we can't ever beat cancer, further research will assist the development of more progressive treatments.  Treatments that are less invasive and offer a greater hope of recovery or a longer period of remission.  

So Dad, Oliver and I have decided to walk round the Isle of Wight, all 106 KM, non-stop to raise money for Cancer Research.  Hopefully a little pain on our part will raise (with your help) some money that will bring the hope of new treatments that small bit closer.  

Sophie Raine