On the 22nd of July, I will be doing a skydive to raise money for the bone cancer research trust. This is a charity very close to my heart, and one that I feel very passionately about. Last year, my wonderful Dad - Philip Foster - passed away due to a very aggressive cancer called osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer. I will be doing the skydive on what should have been his 49th birthday.

My Dad was my hero for many reasons, his bravery being one. On his 21st birthday, my Dad was in a car crash that left him permanently brain damaged. The doctors said he would never walk or talk again, but my dad being my dad, proved them all wrong! And a year later, I was born!

In 2012, my dad had a seizure. After doing an MRI, they found a large grade 3 brain tumour and he was given 2 years to live. This was absolutely heartbreaking for our whole family and we were terrified about what might happen. 

After intense chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and an operation, he was thankfully given the all clear. After such an intense battle, he came out the other side still just as kind, loving, hilarious and charismatic as he’d always been. He also went on to have two more children, Louie and Frankie. He was such a proud Dad and never failed to let us know how much he loved us!

Sadly in 2021, dad was diagnosed with osteosarcoma. The sarcomas were growing in his skull, which is extremely rare. They suspected that the intense radiotherapy which he had years before had potentially caused the sarcomas. He went through another load of intense chemotherapy throughout the summer, which sadly was unsuccessful. In August that year Dad suffered a severe brain aneurysm, as his cancer was terminal, the doctors asked my nana and step mum if they should save him. They knew dad wouldn’t give up without a fight, and sure enough he didn’t. After his operation he was FaceTiming me from his hospital bed cracking jokes as always. 

However things started to decline quite quickly after this, the sarcomas were very aggressive and causing a lot of pressure on his brain, which caused him to regularly have mini strokes. Soon he was pretty unstable on his feet, so had to go to st Wilfred’s hospice. Despite all of this pain and trauma, he never once complained, never felt sorry for himself, and always kept a positive attitude no matter what. I will never understand how he managed to remain so strong, everyone (including the hospice staff) were in awe of him! I will always admire him for it and remember his strength on my darkest days. 

My Dad passed away on the 19th of February 2022, we all got to be there in his last moments, I was holding his hand. I am so glad that we got to be there with him, surrounding him with our love. After he was gone everything went dark, it’s a pain you can’t describe. Something that my family and many many other families sadly have to deal with. As there are hundreds of hero’s out there, and stories just like my Dad’s. But I can find at least some healing and relief from doing things like this that I know would make Dad proud, and will help other people.

The bone cancer research trust focus solely on finding a cure for bone cancer and they rely purely on donations and fund raising. Despite being small, they fund more research projects exploring primary bone cancer than any other organisation. Other large UK cancer research charities do not prioritise bone cancer patients, in 2019 just 0.028% of their research went to bone cancer – not even close to 1%. Recently they are working on a new research strategy (which can be read on their website) putting £10 million into research to improve the treatment of bone cancer! They are always working towards a cure and hopefully one day soon there will be. 

If you can, I would love your help to raise as much money for this charity as I can! If you can even spare a few pounds, it can all make a difference :)

With love,

Izzy