Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

Please take 5 minutes to read Danny's story below which explains further why I am hoping to raise as much money as possible for The Nightingale Macmillan Unit (Fund 14001) in Derby.

Christmas is supposed to be the most magical time in a child's life. But in 1994, old enough to understand what the big C word meant, it was the worst Christmas ever. At 10 years of age I should of been looking forward to my new Nintendo game and all the delights that Christmas brings, family, friends love and laughter. Instead Lee and I tried to make sense of the fact that my mum had been diagnosed with Breast Cancer.

Mikey our other brother was too young to understand what was happening but for the next 3-5 years mum went through her aggressive treatment of radio therapy, chemotherapy treatment, losing her hair, losing her energy and losing her desire for the chemicals that were running through her body.

Despite all this she came out the other side, stronger full of energy and happy to spend all of her time looking after her boys and returning to normal family life.

My mum was a special lady, fierce, beautiful, caring and strong. She would never show weakness and would always have a brave face in the face of a condition that would lie dormant for years.

We felt we had her back to her best until 2010 when we received the news that this time history had repeated itself - Mum was diagnosed with Lung Cancer. Strike number 2 to the big C. No doubt this was damaging psychologically to mum but you wouldn't be able to tell as she kept positive strong and full of love and life. Treatment proceeded again and we all hoped this time it would be a success. Hope was high and family life resumed. For the next 2 years we had positive news - was this the time that we had finally beaten this killer disease?

2 visits for checks ensued for the specialists to give mum the green light in her progression and her recovery, only for strike 3 to be closer than anyone expected.

In the space of 4 weeks mum would leave us. We received the devastating news that the specialists had missed a huge tumour in her wind pipe. The tumour was slowly closing down her capability to breath and take away the one thing that mum was full of, LIFE!

My partner Jo and I stayed with my mum at the Derby Nightingale unit until she passed to a place that only Angels can be in charge of because they took the most special women I have ever known.

Mum is missed and loved by all that remember how much she brought to us and the people she cared about the most. I personally hope she can see my 2 beautiful children from heaven. Ironically when my son Stanley was born, he was born in the room adjacent to where mum passed away. It was a stunningly beautiful morning and I really felt her presence with us as did my partner Jo. As one life had ended so quickly a new life was just about to begin...

 Mr Venkat and his team at the Nightingale Unit who looked after my mum, made the experience of death not an easier one but a more manageable one. Their care, honesty and compassion is not something that can be turned on and off for a 'shift at work'. These are special people that do a difficult job - a difficult job that requires in my eyes special people. They are surrounded by misery yet bring light daily to families, like mine, that really need care and support.

This is a story to highlight that all of us, at some point, will be affected by this awful disease. I want people to remember my mum for the beautiful person that she was rather than the woman who had the disease Cancer. This could only of been done by the way we were treated and the care shown at the Nightingale Unit at Derby Hospital.

I would ask anyone who has been affected by cancer to sponsor Emma Nicholson in her first attempt to complete the London Marathon so that more money can go towards the Hospice at Derby so families like mine spend those last precious days with the ones they love the most.


When a member of my classes (Emma) asked whether it would be ok to run in memory of a person she had never met and a cause that was so personal for me, I was 
 shocked but happy to help where possible. I recognise in order for this care to continue for families like mine, support is needed.

One of mum's dying wishes was that I continue to run my own fitness business.  I will be assisting Emma in her attempt to complete the marathon by offering FREE training to get her in condition for it as well as sponsorship where possible.

Please give whatever you can afford - we can beat this Cancer together.  This may not be in our lifetime but I want my children, our children, to be safe and better educated in the ways this disease can be attacked head on so they don't have to go through what we went through.

Thank you for your support, generosity, love .

Danny Dunne

In memory of,
Helen Dunne
Born 19-11-1957
Died 02-12-2012

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