On Sunday 31st May, the Maxwell Bond team are taking part in the Manchester 10k to raise money for Christies Charity.

It’s probably the right time to talk… In February, Jade called me crying “Ste, can you come home?” I rushed back to hear the words no one expects, “I’ve got breast cancer...”

It still feels surreal saying it now. No genetics in the family. Jades just turned 36. Healthy. Two active kids, 10 and 7 keeping us moving. A 1.2cm lump.... They're still surprised Jade found it and downplayed the initial check in because of all this ^

Since then, it’s been a bit mental. 2-3 week turnaround lots of tests, Stage 2, grade 3 ("the aggressive one")

10 weekly rounds of chemotherapy… the day before it even started, we had 2 late-night A&E visits after a reaction to hand sanitizer. You couldn’t write it, plain sailing 🤣 Thursday 14th May is treatment number 11, its relentless!

Jade’s coping well all things considered. Some days are tough, of course they are, but the strength she’s shown has been unbelievable. The truth is, not many people know.

We’ve just "kept calm and carried on", we've never been one to talk about us. Jade is the very definition of the British “stiff upper lip”… just getting on with it. We’ve still got a long road ahead this year, but we’ll keep moving forward.

We have been lucky to have an incredible support network, friends, family, the team helping with everything from food to school runs and keeping things moving forward regardless of the circumstances.

Why talk now?

Well 1 positive in all of this, Jade’s been treated at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust in Wilmslow, and the facility is unbelievable. Honestly, I don’t think we could ask for a better place to be going through something like this.

So this year, we’re doing something about it to help raise money. The Maxwell Bond team are running the Manchester 10K for Christies to help raise money for everyone going through something similar.

This year isn’t about running times or PBs. It’s about showing up, supporting, and giving something back. If you can donate anything at all, it would genuinely mean a lot:

The Christie Charity supports the work of The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, one of Europe’s leading cancer centres. The charity helps to fund life-saving research, advanced equipment, and vital support services for cancer patients and their families, going above and beyond what the NHS can provide. Every donation contributes to improving treatment, care, and outcomes for those affected by cancer.