We’re the UK’s leading bowel cancer charity.We fund targeted research, provide expert information and support to patients and their families, educate the public and professionals about the disease and campaign for early diagnosis and access to best treatment and care.We’re here to stop people dying of bowel cancer.

I'm taking part in Step up for 30 to raise money for Bowel Cancer UK.

Following a screening programme in 2010 my Dad was diagnosed with bowel cancer. Fortunately the early diagnosis led to a successful operation and chemotherapy. He had has now been cancer free for 10 years.

Then, in 2018, my Mum was diagnosed with colon cancer. Mum received radiotherapy, as well as an operation to remove the tumour, followed by a course of chemotherapy . However, in February 2020, the day before she was due to have her stoma reversal operation, Mum found out the cancer had spread to her lungs. Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, Mum has luckily had regular scans and appointments and the care she has received from the hospitals in Leicester has been amazing. This period has been particularly difficult as a family with not being able to spend time together in person. When we've been able to, we've managed to keep in contact virtually as well some outdoor meetings. Mum began chemotherapy in November 2020 and is over half way through her planned 12 rounds. So far the treatment has been working, and hopefully once things start returning to some level of normality, we may be able to spend time together as a family, something we've not really been able to do.

My sister, Rachel, decided to do something to raise both money and awareness, so not to be outdone by my sibling, and because she asked me :-), I'm taking up the challenge to do 30 mins or more of exercise each day for the whole of April. Not only to hopefully raise some money for a charity close to my heart, but to also improve my own health and wellbeing after a difficult year.