Who is Susan and The Wellbeing and Wellness Coach?

Susan has lost multiple close family members to cancer and has watched multiple close friends being impacted by this disease also. She is keen to support those who are fighting back against cancer and believes organisations such as The Stan Bowley Trust are powerful contributors to this fight. 

Susan founded The Wellbeing and Wellness Coach to support people in improving their physical and mental wellness. The creation of the organisation was inspired by her own recovery from complex PTSD, depression, anxiety and ME/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

The National Three Peaks Challenge will be the greatest physical challenge Susan has taken on since being diagnosed with ME/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. At her weakest points she would need rest periods after even short walks and would struggle to hold her own body weight. 

While currently in good health, the challenge will be the greatest test of her recovery to date! 

What is The National Three Peaks Challenge?

The challenge involves climbing the three largest mountains in England, Scotland and Wales. The team of participants will climb Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon back to back, being driven between mountains, without stopping. 

Not only will the team need to overcome the physical endurance required to climb each mountain individually, they will need to climb them consecutively, without recovery time and while dealing with changing weather conditions and sleep deprivation. 

Why the Stan Bowley Trust and what is CyberKnife Radiotherapy?

The Stan Bowley Trust were the major contributor towards the fundraising that purchased a groundbreaking CyberKnife radiotherapy machine that is situated at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham. They are a charity set up by the family and friends of Alan "Stan" Bowley who travelled to the USA to receive CyberKnife radiotherapy through private fundraising due to a lack of treatment options being available in the UK and wider Europe. Their work has contributed to this treatment being available much closer to home! 

CyberKnife is robotic radiotherapy treatment that is able to treat previously untreatable tumours. Because it can deliver high doses of radiation with sub millimetre accuracy, it can access parts of the body that were too difficult with traditional surgery and because it is so accurate it does not damage healthy tissues. 

Since the introduction of CyberKnife at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, clinical trials have been undertaken. This means that treatment for head, neck and some other cancers are now available on the NHS. The Stan Bowley Trust are continuing to raise funds with the goal that everyone who can gain benefit from this treatment will be able to receive it in the future.