In the January of 2011 Patricia  was diagnosed with Angiosarcoma, a very rare cancer of the blood vessels. The cancer was life-threatening with a poor prognosis and little hope of survival. Pat also suffered constant heavy bleeding from the tumour and was told that if she did not have an operation to remove it she could easily bleed to death.

In February 2011, Pat underwent a sixteen hour operation to have the tumour removed which lay between the roof of her mouth and her left nostril.  The tissue for her face and palette, together with veins and arteries, were taken from her right thigh.  It took the Surgeon twelve hours to remove the tumour and 50 lymph nodes from her face.  The Plastic Surgeon then used the tissue from her right thigh to fill the area from where the tumour was removed and to reconstruct her palate and face as best he could, which took a further four hours.

Pat once said  “I have often felt isolated and alone.  Sarcomas are very rare so one does not meet many people who know what they are. I had never met nor spoken to anyone else with Sarcoma nor had I spoken to another carer of a Sarcoma patient.  Through the charity, Sarcoma UK, I know that I am not alone, there are many others with Sarcomas”

Sarcomas are rare cancers that develop in the muscle, bone, nerves, cartilage, tendons, blood vessels and the fatty and fibrous tissues

About 3,800 new cases of sarcoma are diagnosed each year in the UK which makes up approximately 1% of all cancer diagnoses:

Sarcomas make up 15% of all childhood cancers (0-14 years)

Sarcomas make up 11% of all cancer diagnoses in teenagers and young people (15-24 years)

Patricia passed away on 20^th May 2013 and raised over £5000 in order to help others.

PLEASE SUPPORT MARK IN HIS BID TO RAISE SOME MONEY FOR THIS SMALL AND IMPORTANT CHARITY THAT REALLY DOES NEED YOUR HELP.

Mark is currently training hard to get ready for the ride on the 10th August 2014 Please help and donate now.

Every Penny Counts

Many thanks