Tonight I started to help my sister Lee with a bit of online fundraising for the cancer research Race for Life 5k run shes doing this year. Its her first time running it and its something shes been wanting to do for a while. 
As I was spreading the link to her sponsor page, I got thinking about why the charity is so important and felt inspired to write a little blog to explain why it means alot to us!
Cancers a word that feels people with dread but at the same time you can never truly imagine how much it effects you to its on your doorstep.
I have lost two family members through cancer and my dad is a cancer survivor so I feel like its a charity very close to my family's hearts. 
My grandad was the first to get diagnosed with the big C. He was a lively healthy man never had much wrong, then he found he was bleeding when he went to the toilet and after tests we heard he did indeed have bowel cancer. The doctors said there was two choices, operate and remove the cancerous lump or just leave it as it wouldn't shorten hes life much or give him to much pain. The down side being that the op might trigger a heart attack at hes age, so the decision was we let it run its course.  It was all fine didnt seem to be effecting him at all, then about 5 months later dad said he needed a doctors appointment. He had found a lump down there! We made the usual jokes like "no thats just your nut dad" "hope they have a magnifying glass lol" and roughly a week later he ws in having a scan to see what it was. We thought the worst but was trying to stay postitive still joking with him etc and then London hospitital sent a letter saying we need you to come and see us mr Quick. He had testicular cancer. We were shocked but tried not to think of what might happen.
At this time I had never had any family members have anything more serious then a knee replacement! And suddenly cancer was right there, not just in the family but now in my immediate family, in my house! I coped the way I always do, pretended it werent happening and that everything was fine. 
Dad got lucky, I think the time inbetween being diagnosed and having the testical removed was about two or three weeks. Hes now cancer free and didnt need any treatment or chemo, just regualar scans and hospital appointments. Sadly my Grandad wasnt so lucky, he passed away about a year or two later. 
We were just moving on and getting on with life when we had our first family holiday in about 11 years. August 2011. My uncle Pete got ill a couple of months before we went away. Halfway through we got a phone call from my auntie June to say he had the results back and he had lung cancer. Just as we had feared. When we got back he was positive he was  gonna be like dad and beat it. All was going well, he had a op to remove one lung and the cancerous lump, he seemed like he was on the mend. When some thugs decided to break into there house, threaten my aunt and hit Pete with a baseball bat. Pete did fight back and scared them off but they were to afraid to stay there, so they moved in with my cousin, just as Pete started chemo. The chemo wore him out and he was having breathing problems, and he just collapsed just before Christmas. Another great man taken away by cancer. 
I think although three members of my family have suffered with various forms of cancer, we got off lightly, I've seen and read story's about how cancer literary destroys a person. I didn't have to watch my love ones go through years of pain and suffering - Grandad had very little pain and very small stay in hospital,  both Pete and dad were operated on pretty quick and dads recovery was super quick and painless. But I'm very aware that others aren't this lucky, even though lucky doesn't  feel like the right word.  I've known people who had to watch that suffering, its hard to hear, knowing how close we were to the same! I am glad to say I  know some survivors too! two work colleagues have both gotten the all clear from breast cancer! Yay! 

Cancer even when its gone leaves you worrying, every time mum or dad gets ill or I find a strange lump (that turns out to be a spot)  you cant help but think what if or not again! Right now my dads complaining of chest pains and bad heartburn but isn't getting it checked out just yet. You cant help but wonder if its coz hes scared of what it might be? i don't know he doesn't like to talk about it, but i know I'm worried! my mind always wonders to the negative side anyway, so that kinda thing just makes it ten times worse!


Its such a cruel horrible disease and we really do need to try and do all we can to raise money for cancer research! so if you would like to sponsor my sister please click on the link below and dont forget to gift aid it. 
http://www.raceforlifesponsorme.org/next-harlow Thanks for taking the time to read this blog, hope i havent bored or depressed you too much and please give as much or as little as you can spare, every little helps :)Take care guys Hopefully my next blog will be a happier one!Love Donna xx 

3/13/2012 04:43:23 am

There is hardly a person in the UK that hasn't either been directly affected by cancer, had a family member affected by cancer, or have a friend affected by cancer. I lost my dad because of it before I was old enough to know him properly. I'm a big supporter of cancer charities because of that.

Good luck to your sister Donna and I hope she raises lots of money :)))

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3/13/2012 05:32:00 am

thanks Tommy, so sorry to hear about your dad :(
I'll tweet to let you know how she gets on :)

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