Since my wife Deb was diagnosed with terminal stage 4 bowel cancer during lockdown in May 2020 we’ve had a bit of a journey! Being told there was nothing that could be done surgically chemo was our only option & even with that she only had 18-24 months, without it only 6. Devastated was not the word. With two young kids 7 & 5 at the time & a global pandemic meaning diagnosis & treatment on her own without anyone to hold her hand, give her a hug, it couldn’t really have been worse.

Fast forward a year & the chemo worked wonders & the multidisciplinary team across Warrington, Halton, Liverpool & Clatterbridge decided to reconsider surgery & in April 2021 Deb underwent surgery to remove the primary bowel tumour, pancreas tumour, her spleen & a full hysterectomy. In June 2021 she underwent her first lung ablation to remove 2 tumours on her right lung, following which she just never seemed to recover & the pain continued to get worse. In September 2021 we found out the cancer had spread to the bones… ribcage, pelvis & spine & following a collapse at home in November 2021, the worst news yet - it has also spread to the brain. Before Christmas she’ll now be undergoing 5 sessions of whole brain radiotherapy. She’s been through the mill, we all have, but she’s still here, still fighting, still KICKING CANCERS ASS!!

But none of this would be possible without the amazing research, work & care of Clatterbridge Cancer Hospital. So whilst I can’t do much about the treatment itself what I can do is raise funds & awareness to help make sure other families don’t have to go through this at all, or at least have the same level of success & support as we have. As a family doing walks, runs & rides we’ve raised over £6500 in fundraising for Bowel Cancer Charities & want to continue the momentum!

So for the next challenge I’m roping in more people for the Clatterbridge Cancer Charity’s ‘Glow Green’ 8k walk in Liverpool on 4th Feb 2022, which is World Cancer Day.

Please spare whatever you can to help. It is so very much appreciated. Russ, Debs & #TeamScanlon xx

** 22nd December 2021 Update.**

On 17th December Deb was taken ill at home & taken to Warrington General by ambulance. Having developed a clot on her lung there was nothing the medical team could do & she died in my arms at 6.56am on Saturday 18th December. We are beyond heartbroken 💔💔💔 She was our absolute world, our Queen, & we are all struggling to come to terms with it all at the moment. 👸🏼 & 🐻 are beside themselves & just want ‘moo moo’ (mummy) to come home. It’s turning me inside out I‘m not able to do anything to stop their pain & bring her back 😩.

We are now more determined than ever to walk in Debs honour, this is her legacy event & will be the start of (newly renamed) month of DEBruary events. Please join our team or donate whatever you can & lets smash this target! Deb was too amazing to just slip away quietly & I’m gutted she wont be there to see us all off but you can help carry me around (potentially physically)!! 🙏🏻💚 Russ x