Where to start?

 

I first met Chris "Milton" Ivin on location in Abu Dhabi for a GP2 Asia race. He's one of FOM (Formula One Management)'s cameramen, and without doubt one of the most decent and brilliant people I've ever met. The kind of guy that has you laughing in stitches on the floor within moments of meeting him. Effortlessly funny, effortlessly cool... the veritable life and soul. His air guitar rendition of the "Coronation Street" TV theme tune is a signature moment that defines the man's unique style and sense of humour.

 

Milton, however, hasn't been racing for a while. To say his 2011 has been tough would be beyond an understatement. 

 

Back in January, Milton was diagnosed with an aggressive form of testicular cancer, which was spreading throughout his body. But Milton being Milton, he went at it hardcore. He's now on what he terms as "megacore" chemo, and is still fighting hard, as only he can. He is writing a blog about it. As is Milton's way, it is painfully funny. But it is honest. Crushingly so. I'm a journalist by trade, and I don't know how he gets across the sheer gravity of what he is going through. 

 

The blog's name? You'll like this... Kicking Cancer in the Nuts. See, told you it was darkly comical.

 

http://kickingcancerinthenuts.blogspot.com

 

To try and raise some money for Milton and his chosen charity, Cancer Research UK, a bunch of guys from FOM and contractors such as myself (as I carry out commentary work for FOM on GP2 and GP3) are making Movember happen early. We're gonna call it Mil-vember.

 

Movember is an annual event where guys grow facial hair to raise money for cancer charities. And with Silverstone being around the corner, FOM thought about doing it for the British Grand Prix. 

 

I'm hopefully going to grow something of a handlebar moustache, although given that my facial hair grows at the rate of a 13 year old's, this may prove tough. 

 

I have recently experienced the power of twitter and what happens when people get behind an idea, and I'm hoping as many of you as possible will come to this page and maybe think about retweeting its existence. 

 

All I am asking, in these economically harsh times, is for a simple donation of $1 / £1 / €1. If everyone who follows me on twitter could spare just that one single coin, we could make a huge amount of money for Cancer Research and a huge difference to the lives of those suffering with cancer, and to the future treatment of those who are diagnosed.

 

Having lost my own grandparents to the big C, watching my father fight through Lymphoma and come out the other side, and now learning more and more of Milton's dogged and determined fight to kick his cancer in the nuts, I know how keenly many of us feel the hand of cancer in our lives. 

 

Thank you, in advance, for your time to read through this, and should you be able to donate that one coin, then thank you again. A million times over.

 

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