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Becky and I are joining the 15k Starlight Walk on 30th June to help raise funds for the Prospect Hospice. We LOVE our power walks and having a good natter along the way so our love of power walking can be put to good use!

There are lots of us walking together so we can help each other along - I've seen the route and it's a blummin' long way!!

Bit about me - Sally.......

The Prospect Hospice is a place that I have always heard of but thought I would never visit - it's one of those places that 'people go to when they are dying' or so I thought.........

Back in October 2011 my kind, thoughtful, generous, amazing and beautiful Mum was diagnosed with bowel cancer (I refuse to give it capital letters - sorry) which had spread to her liver. By the time she was diagnosed it was too late and she was given the devastating news that her cancer was terminal. Life is full of 'if's and but's' and 'if' Mum had the obvious symptoms of bowel cancer then maybe it could have been dealt with earlier but the first thing we knew of it was when the Consultant popped his head round the corner and stated 'we have specialist cancer nurses that can help you now'.

So the next decision was to chemo or not to chemo? We were told the statistics and decided that chemo was the way forward. This is another 'if' moment. 'If' we had known that Mum was in the 1% of the UK population that can't metabolize chemo then we may have made a different decision however the clock can't be turned back and Mum spent Christmas 2011 stuck in a closed ward at GWH suffering with the most terrible side effects from her 2 doses of chemo. This was a bad time in the Everitt family and I thank everyone for your help and support during those dark dark days.

So here we are in the Spring and Mum is feeling pretty good - the chemo has left her system and we are living life - taking each day as it comes and LIVING each day - not waiting for the cancer to take it's turn for the worse - not waiting to die - not waiting for the next ache or pain - we are celebrating the Spring and celebrating everything that is marvellous about Mum.

The Prospect Hospice have been brilliant - Mum goes to them every Tuesday to chillax and meet new people and have lunch and walk round the garden. Dad gets a day to himself to place his bets, spend his money off coupons and generally faff about knowing that Mum is having a great time.

No one knows when you will need the Prospect Hospice and hopefully you will never need them at all but if you do, they will be there for you, no matter how much money you have or what your background - the support they offer is unconditional and I thank them wholeheartedly.

Becky:

Well after reading what Sally has written here, how can I follow that...? I have read it a few times now and each time it brings tears to my eyes - I bet you are sitting there reading it with tears in yours eyes too.

I have decided to walk the Starlight Walk with Sally, as the Prospect Hospice really is an fantastic charity, providing vital support to people who really need it. Each of us will never know when or how we might be affected by cancer, be it ourselves, our loved ones, our families, our friends, or their own families.

It just astounds me that a resource such as the Prospect Hospice gets less than one third of its funding from statutory sources, such as the NHS. It costs more than £5 million per year to provide dedicated care support for its 1600 patients and their families. The Prospect Hospice is largely dependent on fundraising to be able to do this.

Sally is an amazing lady. She works tirelessly to care and look after her family, to keep her business running and support her team, and she always looks out for her friends. The way she has coped with her mum's illness has been unbelievable, and the care she has given to her mum and dad has been a real demonstration of her love for them. Through Sally, I have also got to know her lovely mum Doreen, and I can confirm that the saying 'like mother like daughter' really rings true.

I am so glad to see the positive support that Sally gives to Doreen, and the fact that they are really cherishing this time they have together. I do think that the fact that they know the Prospect Hospice is there for them is one of the reasons they are able to do this, as they know help is always going to be available whenever they need it.

Love you Sally and Doreen xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx