This morning as we prepare to leave for Scotland on our NC500 challenge, and since my last Blog of yesterday, I have received two further stories from members of the Ride & Stride team, Tina and Moira. I think that you will find them quite moving:
Hi There. I signed up to be a driver alongside Tina – I did this mainly to support my partner Lesley, seemed like a bit of fun. Shortly after signing up the fundraising aspect of the project took on a whole new meaning.
On June 28th I was informed that I had cancer of the womb, on the 11th of August I underwent a full hysterectomy. The surgery was performed by robot under the command of the surgical team. With the help of a good pain management plan and minimal intervention from the robot I was up and about in no time. I was honestly shocked at the levels of energy that I experienced after a good couple of years of abject lethargy.
My post operative meeting took place on the 2nd September where I was informed that all traces of the cancer were removed and that no further treatment is required.
I am writing this on the 5th September and I am still in a daze at what my friends, family and I have gone through in the past two months. Without serious resource and research the robotic surgery would not exist nor would that cocktail of pain relief that enabled me to leap from strength to strength.
I lost my little sister to cancer in August 2014 this loss is a painful wound for our whole family still. My cancer brought it all back to us and I could hardly bear the agony that I placed on my family and friends. I am so thankful that research and development gave me a very different outcome in such a short time.
I am forever grateful to the robotics team under Mr Simon Butler-Manuel of the Royal Surrey County Hospital and the NHS that I so relied on in those fearful days.
Moira
These personal journeys affecting members our team underline the importance of the work carried out by Cancer Research UK, and also by our other two Ride & Stride charities, Mind and Parkinson’s UK. The diagnoses that Moira and our team leader Julian have received in the last few months of our preparations have certainly caused us all to reflect on the relevance of our quest to raise awareness and funds for our three charities. The link to the Ride & Stride JustGiving page is available here:
My Blog heading today, Journey, borrows from the title of a number by Scottish singer-songwriter KT Tunstall, off her 2007 album ‘Drastic Fantastic’. As we set off on a memorable journey of our own the opening two verses certainly strike a chord:
Walking for Fun, Challenge and Charity! 