Well..... We did it!  Sunday 20th March 2011, Reading Half Marathon and in a decentish time of 1 hour 59 minutes!  It was a great day with loads of support around what was a brilliant course.  A huge thankyou to everyone who has helped me raise money for the Teenage Cancer Trust.

In November 2008, my husband lost his daughter, Alice, to Rhabdomyosarcoma, a particularly aggressive cancer that affects young people.  Alice was only 15 when she was first diagnosed and she never ever gave up fighting and one of the things that kept her sane during the tough times (there were many!!) was her work with the Teenage Cancer Trust.  She made loads of video diaries for Jimmyteens, part of the TCT support network, documenting her cancer journey and her courage and tenacity which shone through in every video she made has helped countless other teens deal with cancer.

Every day in the UK, up to 6 teenagers or young adults will find out they have cancer. These young people, in the midst of their already difficult journey to adulthood, suddenly find themselves faced with a life-threatening illness and very often receiving treatment in inappropriate facilities with inadequate support options. Before the age of 16 a teenager is likely to be treated in a paediatric ward alongside toddlers. If the same teen was diagnosed after turning 16 then they are likely to end up in an adult ward with elderly patients.

The Teenage Cancer Trust exists to ensure that teenagers and young adults are diagnosed efficiently, treated effectively, and have the support they need to make it through their treatment and rebuild their lives after cancer.

A Teenage Cancer Trust unit brings teenagers with cancer together, so they can support each other. Being able to talk to people going through exactly what they’re going through makes a huge difference.

Alongside all of this is a medical team of teenage cancer specialists who pool knowledge to create a body of expertise that’s second to none. They’re backed up by Nurse Consultants who provide clinical care, develop research, deliver professional education and ensure that standards remain as high as possible.

The TCT estimate that with the units they currently have around the UK, only half of the teenagers diagnosed with cancer have access to this dedicated, specialist support. Their aim is to build enough units so that by 2012, every single teenager will be treated on one.

This was a cause held very close to Alice's heart as she knew what a difference a Teenage Unit  would have made to her journey.

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 and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer.

Thank you so much for supporting this fantastic cause.

 

Donna xx