Race for Life - Cancer Research

'Because someone we love is in heaven, there's a little bit of heaven in our home.'

I thought I'd kick off February postings starting with my Race for Life event! Race for Life happens every year up and down the country, it's a women - only event and all the money raised from sponsorship goes to Cancer Research and this year I've decided that I'm going to be taking part.
In 2006 we lost my Grandad, (my Mum's Dad) to cancer and the following year in 2007 we lost my Granny, (my Dad's Mum) to cancer as well. Then there was last year, in June 2013, which if you've read my previous posts you'll know that I was diagnosed with Leukaemia, a cancer of the blood. For 4/5 months I went through chemo, tablets and many stays in hospital, it felt like a lifetime. Luckily at the end of October I was told that there was no longer any sign of the Leukeamia and I was in remission. I am so thankful for everything the hospital and the nurses and doctors have done for me and will continue to do for the next 3 years, as every 3 months I have to have a bone marrow biopsy done so they can monitor me closely, incase the cancer comes back.

When I was in hospital the majority of the time I was lucky enough to have one of the side rooms, so I wasn't around any other patients, but I did spend several days and nights in the ward along with other cancer patients. One thing you learn from staying on a ward with people who are 'in the same boat as you' as they say, is that although you're in the same boat... each person in that boat is still an individual. I was lucky that my cancer was treatable and responded so well to treatment that there is now no sign of it, but listening to the other patients talk to each other, you learn that the different types of cancer are as individual as the person they live in. Some have a positive outlook, they can be cured, some aren't so positive, but can be controlled and for some their days are numbered. There is no cure, no miracle drug, they're the ones who have to tell their families that it's bad news, that they might not see their birthday this year, they won't make it past Christmas... they might not even make it past next month. Luckily for me, the type of Leukaemia I was diagnosed with was, as the doctors said, "The best type to have, as it is very responsive to treatment." I was fortunate that my cancer was and is curable. But for those who aren't as fortunate with cancers that can't be cured, or treated effectively, I want to do something and this is why I've chosen to take part in Race for Life and raise as much money as possible. All the money that is donated for my sponsorship goes towards Cancer Research UK's life-saving work and continued research into preventing, diagnosing and treating cancer.

If you would like to sponsor me, you can visit my online Just Giving page by clicking **here!** Even if it's just a pound, for Cancer Research every donation helps, so thank you.

If you want to sign up for Race for Life somewhere near you, you can find a location and sign up on the site. But if you fancy something different, Cancer Research have many different events going on throughout the year, which you can also check out on their site *here.* 
Thank you so much for your support. ❤