Thanks for supporting my fundraising. Macmillan gives people with cancer everything they’ve got. If you’re diagnosed, your worries are Macmillan’s worries. Macmillan’s doing whatever it takes. But without your help, Macmillan can’t support everyone who needs them.

My best friend has recently been diagnosed with cancer, I want to show my support and walk 30miles from Brize Norton to Lyneham(The Mallard) on Sat 29th March.

This is Gayna Howarths' Story: In early summer of 2022 I had some bowel changes, nothing much, just a bit soft (trying to be nice here 😅). Left it a few weeks and then made a doctor's appointment. Had some blood tests that said I was low in vitamin B12. This causes tiredness and changes in bowel habits, apparently. So I take the B12 and the symptoms go.

Fast forward to June 2024 and I get a bowel screening kit through the post. Why not, I think. I feel fine and it's a test done in the privacy of my home. 2 weeks later I get a letter with a phone appointment, with a view to doing a colonoscopy. So, at the beginning of September I go for a colonoscopy but it failed. So then I was sent for a CT colonoscopy a week later. Through all of this I had no symptoms to speak of. I was a bit tired and had lost a couple of pounds in weight. I'm a gardener and just put this down to being busy! I was called back to the hospital for my results a week later. September 19th, my life changed forever. Initially diagnosed with stage 3 cancer, which was thought to have spread to my liver. I had bowel surgery 4 weeks later, as my bowel was almost completely blocked. Still no symptoms, apart from very thin shaped stools, sorry!

After surgery I was re-staged at stage 4 with spread to liver, lungs and lymph nodes = incurable. Life at the moment is chemotherapy, with a view to getting shrinkage and then surgery. It will be chemo for life but I intend to be here, just to annoy everyone, for a few years longer 😁

There are so many people being told they can't have cancer, because they're too young. I have seen many young people being told they are now stage 4, because no one did anything. Especially women, who are fobbed off with "women's problems" too often. The screening kits cost next to nothing.

Don't be embarrassed to go to your doctor. This is completely treatable if caught early enough. Do that test if it comes through the post! Your life is truly in your own hands, no one else will/can do this for you. If you feel something is wrong, keep going back to your doctor.

At Macmillan, we give people with cancer everything we've got. If you're diagnosed, Macmillan will move mountains to help you live life as fully as you can.

And we don't stop there. We're going all out to find even better ways to help people with cancer, helping to bring forward the day when everyone gets life-transforming support from day one.

We're doing whatever it takes. But without your help we can't support everyone who needs us, that you for supporting this amazing cause.

Route: Regular updates live on the day!

1. Brize Norton Camp gates

2. Swan Faringdon

3. Highworth Hotel

4. Cold Harbour

5. The Angel Purton

6. Phoenix Bar Royal Wotton Bassett

7. The Mallard Lyneham

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