On Sunday 22 September, I ran the Gobi Marathon in celebration of my beautiful mother. 

Five years ago to the very day I participated in the race, my mother died at the hands of not just one but two forms of terminal cancer. With hindsight, there were very clear early warning signs of both illnesses. In the case of the first, the relative rarity of the condition meant we had no way of knowing how to look out for its signs and symptoms prior to diagnosis.  And, with the second, mum chose to suffer in silence until it was too late.

Ultimately, neither greater awareness nor more proactive health-seeking behaviour would have saved my mother’s life, as there is still no definitive cure for the first type of cancer with which she was diagnosed, multiple myeloma.  But, arguably, a little bit more of both may well have prolonged her life and therefore the time we were able to enjoy with her.

I am currently working in Mongolia as a VSO Volunteer.  Life here is rapidly changing and so too is the profile of public health issues facing the country.  For the first time, the majority of Mongolians are now dying from so-called preventable illnesses and incidences.  Things such as heart or liver disease, obesity, and please don’t laugh at this one, I am deadly serious, traffic accidents. 

Improving awareness of these conditions as well as encouraging proactive health-seeking behaviour in response to this will not be a straight-forward process, however.

To read more, please visit my blog at: http://www.travelwithopeneyes.com/2/post/2013/09/running-in-celebration.html