Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity. So it’s the most efficient way to donate – saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

I know many of you will have donated recently when my fiance Mike did a Santa Run and my best friend Kirsty did a 10K run, both for The Christie. However, this is slightly different, because now 'The Patient' - as I'm often referred to in my medical notes - has decided to take control of a real bad situation and say "no Doctor, chemo can wait that week, I want to do something fun instead!"

Back in August 2013 I had what everyone thought was a routine operation to remove my Appendix. Finally that stabbing pain I'd felt for 6 months prior was resolved. One month later I'd returned to work and carried on with my happy life. Tuesday 1st October I was called back to the hospital clinic and, alone, I walked into the room expecting a routine check up. A MacMillan Nurse sat beside me. I should have known. 

"I have some bad news Charlotte, we found a tumour in your appendix."

"That's OK, a benign tumour, and its already been removed right?"

WRONG...the tumour was cancerous and more terrifyingly we didn't know how long it had been there. Further investigations found that I had been carrying inside me a rare appendiceal mucinous adenocarcinoma which had spread to my lymph nodes and lungs! Fantastic! Off to The Christie we go! 

After 4 months of chemotherapy and a 10 hour operation leaving me scarred for life and with permanent side effects, I am almost a year into my battle with cancer.  I truly believe I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for the Christie providing these treatments, and for that I am very grateful.

In no way do I want this to be self serving, I don't want recognition or pity, I take what cancer throws at me like anyone would because I have to. But I desperately want to raise awareness and money as these are the only ways I can think of helping future generations who may find themselves in similar situations. It always scares me when I hear about just how many people - 1 in 3 - are affected by cancer at some stage of their lives. By putting into words how much my life came tumbling down in just a 10 minute appointment it makes me even more appreciative for the care, support and honesty I receive from all the nurses, doctors, radiographers, surgeons etc at The Christie Hospital.

They need recognition. They need praising. Above all they need the money. Ultimately they are a charity and without your funds there would be no chemotherapy, no radiotherapy, no surgery, no state of the art CT scanners, no counselling, no lab research, no social support, there would be nothing! 

So whilst giving the Christie the recognition it deserves I can take back a bit of control of my 'tumbling down life' and see what it really feels like to come tumbling down, literally; out of a plane. Now that's living! 

I am lucky enough to be able to raise money for the hospital whilst I'm a patient there.  Get donating people, together we can beat cancer... 

*boxing gloves ready*