The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity raises money solely to support The Royal Marsden, a world-leading cancer centre where I am a stage 4 patient. The charity ensures the Marsden nurses, doctors and research teams can provide the very best care and develop life-saving treatments, which are used across the UK and around the world. From funding state-of-the-art equipment and groundbreaking research, to creating the very best patient environments, the charity looks for ways to improve the lives of people affected by cancer.

With my teenage son, Jim, I will be taking part in the legendary Round Mersea Island sail race to raise money for the Marsden. In the race, sailors head clockwise or anticlockwise around the Essex Island. Its challenges include lifting the boat itself over the Strood, which though flooded at high tide cannot be sailed over. The island is approximately 13 miles in circumference, with the Blackwater Estuary and Colne Estuary on either side. Competitors must navigate the fleets and backwaters as well as sailing out to sea. Our goals are to (1) survive and (2) beat last year's time of 3 hours.