“I’m riddled with it”. Words I remember every day. Words my brother, Dan, said to me in the hospital after just being told he had stage four metastasised EGFR lung cancer. I remember thinking riddled with what? Surely not cancer. But it was. A seemingly healthy and sporty 43-year-old, who’d had a bad back and occasional headaches over the earlier few months. He’d fallen through the gaps during lockdown restrictions with doctors referring him to physios or giving him pain killers and here we were, sitting in a hospital Costa Coffee, with him being told there was no hope.

His world, and the world of his family, changed irrevocably that day. Dan was 43 when diagnosed and given very limited life expectancy. That was turned into a year thanks to some newly licensed immunotherapy drugs. Over the months we reconnected, talking about life, our childhood, his wishes for his children. Dan was such an amazing person. A whip-smart Cambridge graduate with a successful career, but so incredibly kind and gentle with the best dry sense of humour. We all miss him so much.

During his last year Dan was cared for by The Princess Alice Hospice in Esher, who provided care and support in many ways for Dan, his wife, children and close family. In his final weeks, when Dan moved into the Hospice over Christmas 2021 and was in a lot of pain, they cared for him with such kindness and respect, to give him as much dignity as possible over his final days. On every single one of my visits to the Hospice I was treated with love and kindness. Their work cannot be overestimated.

I hope no one has to experience what Dan and his family went through, but sadly know many will, which is why places like The Princess Alice Hospice are so important. At any given time, they’re caring for around 1000 patients, at the Hospice and in their own homes. As a charity, providing services that are free of charge to people living in a large part of Surrey, South West London and Middlesex, it costs £10 million to keep running, so is reliant on the support and fundraising efforts of the local community.

So, here I am, attempting a Marathon in honour of Dan, and trying to raise as much as I can for The Princess Alice in Esher. I’ve not run for a while, so will need your support! I’d appreciate anything you can contribute and know seeing that fundraising total will help me to keep going.

Thank you and much love,

Hannah

Whilst I’ve got you…Not all cancer shows symptoms and 75% of lung cancer is diagnosed at Stage 4. EGFR largely affects younger people and non-smokers. If you have time, please do listen and read the following:

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/about-lung-cancer/id1356165446?i=1000496443805

https://roycastle.org/a-pain-that-could-be-a-sign-of-lung-cancer/#:~:text=Pain%20in%20the%20back%2C%20along,protected%20by%20the%20rib%20cage.

https://www.pah.org.uk/