The 7th July is a significant date, not only because it’s the anniversary of my wife Rachel’s death to cancer four years ago, but this year it coincides with Race for Life Day in my home town of Carlisle, added to that is the fact that it’s also a year since I was in the high dependancy unit of Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary recovering from an oesophagectomy. Whilst in bed on the ward I heard the commotion outside of the support for the Great North 10k and despite being extensively ‘wired’, my nurse and I made a pact to ‘run’ this year’s race. It’s making goals such as that which really helped with my positive attitude to my situation, nurses should never underestimate the immense impact their interaction with their patients has towards their recovery.

I was told that it could take a year to recover from the operation and things have been going well until this month when I was diagnosed with secondary cancer which is inoperable.

There are a few issues which prevent me from training properly for the ‘race’, however I do intend to make it around in an effort to raise money for Newcastle Hospital Trust’s Oesophagoose Charity.

Oesophageal and Gastric Cancers are the fifth commonest cause of cancer deaths in the UK. The Northern Region of England together with Scotland have amongst the highest incidences of these cancers in Europe.

At Newcastle’s RVI we have one of the largest specialist centres in Europe for dealing with these cancers. Had it not been for their expertise a year ago, and the chemotherapy department at Carlisle, I would not have all the amazing experiences I have had over the last year.