As you know I am a very busy GP. Cancer touches my life every day. I am constantly on the lookout for the early signs of cancer, but also help people deal with their diagnosis and support them as best as I can. I even think of my patients when I am not at work as they will often pop into my head.

It is a great privilege to do the job I do and I am immensely proud to have worked for over 30 years, doing the job I love and hopefully making a difference.

I can't do it on my own, and am part of an amazing community team of Practice, Palliative and District Nurses, Pharmacists, Dispensers, Secretaries, Receptionist and Social Prescribers. All of us and many other highly skilled team members of our team are needed to help people with cancer outside of the hospital setting. 

Macmillan Cancer Support helps me to support my patients and their families with a diagnosis of cancer. 

Their website macmillan.org.uk  is packed with all the support they offer. You can either chat online, email them or talk to an advisor  They offer advice on emotional and practical information and financial guidance such as how to manage bills. They know about Welfare rights such as what benefits you may be entitled to and energy advice. They offer an interpreter service and there is a dedicated line if you are calling from outside the UK. There is an online community and information on all the types of cancer such as how to monitor it or what drugs or treatments can be used and in some cases, how to take part in cancer trials  

I am walking for all my patients with cancer at the moment, all those that have been treated and got better and for those that have sadly died from it.  I still think of many of the amazing people that I have known and who have touched my heart.  Many were taken too soon  including my own friends over the years in their 30's and 50's 

I am walking this 26 miles with my friend Lycia whose husband Nick Atkinson lost his fight with cancer on the 16th of January 2022. Nick was in his 50s and left Lycia and their two amazing children, Archie and Tilly.  Macmillan Cancer Support  was there for them 

Our team, "The Walkie Talkies" is made up of Lycia and Nick's friends: Me, Lycia, Harriet, Anna, Ness and SJ. We are going to walk 26 miles along the Wye Valley on the 9th of September 2023 to raise funds to allow Macmillan Cancer Support to keep doing what they do best

They are 98% funded by voluntary donations. We hope to raise a minimum of £2000.

I promise to train hard and walk many miles in preparation for a rather hilly trek over about 10 hours. I would be very grateful for any donation you can make to our team to raise important funds for Macmillan Cancer Support. They can then keep helping families like The Atkinsons  through the toughest of times 

Thank you x