This beautiful girl is Millie.  When Millie was 23 months old she was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma. She spent four and a half solid months at Bristol Children's Hospital, having intensive chemotherapy and is now in remission.

At times during treatment, she couldn't speak or smile because her mouth was so sore. She was unable to eat for most of those four months and was fed via a tube into her stomach. She vomited several times a day, almost every day. There are no words to describe how it feels to be told your child has cancer and the ruthless way it splits your family apart. But good family facilities at the hospital, including a well-equipped playroom, help you to spend time together as a family and to brighten the days of a very poorly child, and their siblings.

The Cancer Appeal is raising money for a larger, brighter playroom with views out over Bristol and better family facilities (including private hospital rooms with ensuite bathrooms - vital for your sanity when your child is a long-term in patient!).  Millie's lovely Mum, Tara, has been working hard to raise funds for The Grand Appeal and I've signed up for my first triathlon to help raise funds too.

I'm not a natural runner, definitely not a natural swimmer and my backside was not built to sit delicately on a bicycle saddle!  But I've put these small issues aside and taken up the challenge of the Leeds Xpress Triathlon on 28 July.  The plan is to swim 400m, cycle 22km and run 5km.  You've probably seen my Strava updates on Facebook, telling you how far and how fast (or slow!) I've gone and I faced the snow, the rain and, occasionally the sun, to train for this event.  

This is a very worthy cause and any small donation will make a difference.  I will endeavour to do my best for it at the triathlon.  And I'll wear a tri-suit.  Surely that's worth a couple of quid? 

Millie's chemotherapy continues until March next year, but at least she is now home and doing almost all of the things a three-year-old should be doing.

http://www.grandappeal.org.uk/

http://www.xtramileevents.com/events/calendar/leeds-xpress-triathlon

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