In 2017 I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer, I am happy to say that I am one of the lucky ones as I am now Cancer free.
It has been a really tough time for my family and me, and although the Cancer is gone I am still dealing with the mental trauma. Many people, including me before this happened, don't realise how damaging Cancer and it's treatment can be mentally. The loss of self esteem and confidence, the depression and anxiety, the fear. Simply the ability to look forward and enjoy your life feels like it is gone, out of reach.
Following a diagnosis you hear the phrase 'you will beat this' so many times, almost like you have control over it, but it didn't feel that way for me. I felt like I was on a roller coaster that never stopped. The lack of control was terrifying and damaging and my zest for life was gone.
My Breast Care nurse suggested that she apply on my behalf to a charity run group named Odyssey. Take a look at their website to see what they do:
www.odyssey.org.uk
In short they aim to 'help people with Cancer regain their confidence and enjoyment of life by creating a magical adventure through a unique blend of the unexpected and a variety of challenges and a lot of fun'. They run the courses up to 5 times a year and would like to be able to run them more frequently, but are restricted financially as they are entirely charity funded.
I was lucky enough to be accepted onto a course last September, it has helped me enormously and I saw first hand the remarkable results this small charity achieves for so many people who have had their lives torn apart through this terrible disease. Now I want to raise awareness and support them so that other people might benefit as I have.
SO, I'll be canoeing along the Harkan River in Sweden starting on the 13th September, 90km, camping and living rough for the week!
I will be paying for the cost of the trip myself so any money kindly donated by you will go directly to Odyssey.
Please help me to help others, it would mean so much.
Thank you x x x
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