Martin Bowman
55000 Reasons to run across London
Fundraising for Breast Cancer Now
Story
In May 2017 following her first routine Breast Screening after turning 50 the year before, my partner was diagnosed with primary Breast Cancer. She had a feeling something wasn't quite right after the scan as they said she may be asked to come back.
We waited a long 2 weeks for the appointment date and were shown the scans that identified some small 'problem' areas. It felt like nobody wanted to actually say the words we were dreading...
Breast Cancer is the most common cancer in the UK. Over 55000 Women every year are diagnosed, that's 150 every day, 1 every 10 minutes.
In 2019 I have been given a charity place at the London Marathon to run for Breast Cancer Now. (#TeamNow). Having entered the public ballot every year for at least the last 15 years each time being unsuccessful, to be given this place means so much.
I aim to complete the marathon in 5 hours, Statistically 30 women will be diagnosed with Breast Cancer during my marathon.
I will be running with 30 pink roses to represent each woman diagnosed during my marathon and I will be handing out 1 rose every 10 minutes to a spectator.
Every £50 raised goes towards sponsoring a rose and each rose will have a message to explain why and who sponsored it.
The aim is not only to raise funds to help find a cure but to also further raise awareness.
Please help me to raise as much as possible so that a cure can be found for this disease that affects and tears apart so many families every day.
Breast Cancer Now believe that your donations can help fund vital research so that by 2050 no one else will die from Breast Cancer. Please help make this a reality.
Our Story continued...
...After being told there was a' problem', we were taken to a small comfortable quiet room to digest what had just happened and a Breast Care nurse came to talk to us and provide as much information as she could. At this stage we knew nothing about how big, what type, how extensive and so on the 'problem' was, more tests were needed. I just wanted answers.
More appointments followed, biopsies, more scans, meeting with doctors in order to determine a course of treatment. We were told that luckily it had been caught early, it hadn't spread but there was a small trace in 1 lymph node. A lumpectomy was advised with removal of all Lymph nodes on that side followed by a course of Radiotherapy.
Surgery went well, no lymph nodes were affected and we were advised that no chemotherapy would be required, just a hormone tablet every day for 5 years to help prevent recurrence.
Although good news, we still worry daily, actually I think I worry more.
The statistics only show numbers who actually contract this disease, they don't take it account the countless other lives affected. 1 Person can easily become 10 once you consider partners, husbands, children parents and so on.
I wanted to do something to help towards finding a cure so straight away signed up to make a monthly donation to the Breast Cancer Now charity. I wanted to do more though, so I joined the Breast Cancer Now fundraising team known as #teamnow and take part in as many events as I can to help fundraise so we can beat this and save lives.
Thank you for taking the time to read this.
We waited a long 2 weeks for the appointment date and were shown the scans that identified some small 'problem' areas. It felt like nobody wanted to actually say the words we were dreading...
Breast Cancer is the most common cancer in the UK. Over 55000 Women every year are diagnosed, that's 150 every day, 1 every 10 minutes.
In 2019 I have been given a charity place at the London Marathon to run for Breast Cancer Now. (#TeamNow). Having entered the public ballot every year for at least the last 15 years each time being unsuccessful, to be given this place means so much.
I aim to complete the marathon in 5 hours, Statistically 30 women will be diagnosed with Breast Cancer during my marathon.
I will be running with 30 pink roses to represent each woman diagnosed during my marathon and I will be handing out 1 rose every 10 minutes to a spectator.
Every £50 raised goes towards sponsoring a rose and each rose will have a message to explain why and who sponsored it.
The aim is not only to raise funds to help find a cure but to also further raise awareness.
Please help me to raise as much as possible so that a cure can be found for this disease that affects and tears apart so many families every day.
Breast Cancer Now believe that your donations can help fund vital research so that by 2050 no one else will die from Breast Cancer. Please help make this a reality.
Our Story continued...
...After being told there was a' problem', we were taken to a small comfortable quiet room to digest what had just happened and a Breast Care nurse came to talk to us and provide as much information as she could. At this stage we knew nothing about how big, what type, how extensive and so on the 'problem' was, more tests were needed. I just wanted answers.
More appointments followed, biopsies, more scans, meeting with doctors in order to determine a course of treatment. We were told that luckily it had been caught early, it hadn't spread but there was a small trace in 1 lymph node. A lumpectomy was advised with removal of all Lymph nodes on that side followed by a course of Radiotherapy.
Surgery went well, no lymph nodes were affected and we were advised that no chemotherapy would be required, just a hormone tablet every day for 5 years to help prevent recurrence.
Although good news, we still worry daily, actually I think I worry more.
The statistics only show numbers who actually contract this disease, they don't take it account the countless other lives affected. 1 Person can easily become 10 once you consider partners, husbands, children parents and so on.
I wanted to do something to help towards finding a cure so straight away signed up to make a monthly donation to the Breast Cancer Now charity. I wanted to do more though, so I joined the Breast Cancer Now fundraising team known as #teamnow and take part in as many events as I can to help fundraise so we can beat this and save lives.
Thank you for taking the time to read this.