In 2006 my daughter Sophie was diagnosed with a medulloblastoma brain tumour. Very soon after the diagnosis we were admitted to Addenbrookes hospital in Cambridge where she had the tumour removed. This was the last time I saw my daughter as I knew her.

After the operation there were complications, she was unable to move or to breathe for herself. We sat beside her bed for months without so much as recognition from her. Eventually a glimmer of hope came when her brother visited and we saw a small but definite smile. Very slowly she started to make progress. We then had a decision to make as to whether we were going to go ahead with palliative or curative chemotherapy knowing that the latter would be far more aggressive and could cause infections that could overwhelm her. But she had shown such determination, we had to give her the tools to fight with.

So we started our first cycle of chemotherapy which was to take 9 months. My little girl had started to smile again but her hair was falling out. The last part of my daughter as I knew her, that beautiful red hair. But her defiance never to give up and her strength of personality never dampened by the endless days spent within 4 walls gave us all the strength to get through.

The next stage was a gruelling 5 weeks of radiotherapy requiring a general anaesthetic everyday. During this time we stayed at the East Anglian Children's Hospice in Milton which gave us a home from home environment to live in closer to the hospital and providing Sophie with the round the clock medical care she still needed.

Then followed a further 9 months of chemotherapy. By this stage we had a care package assembled which meant that Sophie had come home after almost a year in hospitals. It was fantastic to have her home but it was and still is a lifestyle that takes some adapting to. Having to accept the need for carers in your home, and everywhere you go a vast amount of kit has to come too. 

Our last stop was Tadworth Court, a rehabilitation unit for children with acquired brain injuries where we were to spend the next 10 months. Each week I would say goodbye to one of my children as I alternated between Tadworth and Norwich. I had packing a bag down to a fine art. But it was worth it for the invaluable rehab they gave her.   

Then there were no more stages to her recovery other than to live life itself. Today Sophie still has a tracheostomy tube as she has not re-gained the ability to swallow and so is fed through a gastrostomy tube straight into her stomach. Which means her desire for food is denied which has big implications on family life. However during the last few months she has been allowed to eat tiny tasters of yoghurt and the occasional chocolate button much to her delight. She is still relatively immobile but manages to crawl indoors and thanks to some amazing friends who did some pretty impressive fundraising she now has a powered wheelchair to give her independence when we are out and about.

Cancer has taken more from me than I can put here on paper, but I still have a daughter who makes me laugh every day and with a sense of humour to rival any quick witted individual. But If I can help, even the tiniest amount, to prevent someone else living through cancer and its consequences, then this has been worth doing. 

Since Writing this and setting up this page, several things have happened, firstly the race in November, (when I was at the peak of my physical fitness!) was cancelled due to bad weather. Secondly I have had to have some minor surgery 10 days before the rescheduled race date. Which means I won't even be running up the stairs let alone round a 1/2 marathon route for a while. This for me has been very frustrating and disappointing. Fortunately however my lovely friend Paul Mcveigh has agreed to take the baton and run on my behalf. So please all get behind him and lets raise some serious money for this cause that effects the lives of so many. 

Thankyou X

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