Celebration!!!

You almost certainly won’t have noticed, but ten years ago on April 6^th, I lost my left leg when I had an operation to remove a chondrosarcoma from my pelvis.  This week the hospital discharged me as a patient and as a celebration of still being alive against the odds, I’ve decided to raise some much needed money for Sarcoma UK who fund ground-breaking research and provide invaluable care to the families of primary bone cancer sufferers.

Motivation

It was a recent invitation to Greece that spurred me into action when I suddenly realised that I was mere months away from needing to be “beach-ready”. While the jeunesse dorée have spent months of lockdown running marathons, eating chia seeds, drinking celery juice, and pumping iron, I myself have opted for a predominantly cheese and sherry based diet, and an exercise regime more akin to Jo Brand than Joe Wicks. However, I’m determined not to let the side down while strolling (yes, strolling!) down the beaches of Paxos. So there is to be a dual purpose to this fundraiser – a) raise a few bob (as many as I can) for Sarcoma UK; and b) remind the kids that I’ve, perhaps, still got it.

The Challenge

Running, cycling and walking are not my obvious strengths, so I’ve decided to (kind of) take to the water, and row 150 kms during the month of April. This means that I will need to row the distance of a Boat Race (6.8 kms) every weekday of the month of April, unfortunately without the encouragement of the crowds lining the banks of the Thames, fortunately without the howling wind and rain that the Spring months so often bring. That’s right, I’m swapping The Thames for the garden shed, and a boat for a rowing machine. Such are the penalties of lockdown! As I write, I am closing on 120 kms and much to my chagrin, Redgrave's record over the distance is seemingly slipping from my grasp!

The Cause

In 2011 I had my hindquarter amputation at the The Royal Orthopaedic Hospital Birmingham. The odds of requiring this particular operation, with less than 25 cases per year, are similar to those of winning the Lottery – quite sad to be a lucky winner of the former and not the latter (Euromillions – I’m still trying!). With 575 cases of primary bone cancer a year, the funding from Cancer Research is circa £175,000 per annum which means that there is very little research indeed.  Faster diagnoses, better operating procedures, and improved aftercare have doubled the chance of survival since 1980, yet every single day of the week a member of somebody's family dies from this pernicious disease. Research will eventually discover a cure and Sarcoma UK are funding some excellent research.

Here’s where you come in

I would be very grateful if you could sponsor my row and support Sarcoma UK by donating the cost of a round of drinks, a bunch of flowers, or a punt on the horses.  If you would like to give more, I shall consider you an even better friend than I already do!

Gift Aid is available if you wish to use it and as you know it adds 20% to your donation. Sarcoma UK is a registered charity No 1139869

With love

Simonx