Updated on Dec 21st 2012 at 2:16 PM from the JustGiving API

Thanks to the mystery person who donated five quid at the Cwmdu cafe

My Mother, Patsy was 42 years old when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1985. She had a mastectomy and began the long unpleasant journey of radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Initially her recovery went well and she took up cycling to help keep fit and well. I used to ride with her. At times I could barely turn the cranks because she would make me laugh so much. After three years she regresed, one lung collapsed and the cancer had spread to her chest bones. Despite this she still had a go at aerobics classes and kept riding. She met each new challenge head on and coped in a remarkable way with humour and determination. She would always put a positive spin on even the worst situation. But after five years of battling, the Cancer eventually got the better of her. She died in August 1990. So much time has passed but I still miss her very much. I spent every single day with her in her last month, she showed me what real courage is and she never complained. She was far to young to die but she did so with dignity and still with her sense of humour.

During these years I became aware of Macmillan Cancer relief. They are an organisation which helps cancer victims and their families in so many ways. They have specialist nurses in hospitals that are paid for by the charity for the first two to three years, before the NHS takes them over. They help victims manage their symptoms to make living with cancer a little easier.

Macmillan has counsellors who are available to victims, their families and friends to talk, listen and understand what they are going through. They also help support a network of self help and support groups.

Macmillan also help with the financial aspect that victims are faced with such as travel expenses, parking, extra heating, clothing. Last year Macmillan gave £93,000.00 in grants to people in the South Wales Valleys to help with some of these costs.

That is just a sample of the good work they do. Cancer is so indiscriminate and could strike any one of us at any time, I feel compelled to try and help this worthwhile cause.

When my Mother died I was very angry and felt we had both been cheated out of so much. I lost my best friend, my confidante and my hero. I found myself questioning my very existance and to help me get over my grief I decided I wanted to help others that must be going through similar experiences. The obvious thing was to raise money for the Macmillan Charity to benefit others, and to channel my anger and help me recover.

So since the death of my beautiful mother I have raised money for Macmillan. I have completed two seperate 100 length swims, held fashion and beauty shows, cycled across Mexico and cycled from John O’ Groats to Lands End. I turn 47 this year and still have good health. So in memory of my Mother, I plan to cycle from Nairobi in Kenya to the Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania, with other like minded people.

It is a 551 km ride over varying terrain from tar road to rough dirt road taking in some mountains and valleys. We will be riding in February which is the hottest time of year.

But it is not meant to be easy! When things get tough and I am tired and want to stop, I will think of cancer victims and remember that they cant just stop because they are tired!

 

 

Please help me raise as much as possible for this worthy cause. Any help you give will be so much appreciated by those who receive the help and support from the staff who work for Macmillan Cancer Support.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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