Inspired

On Sunday I welcomed the Beating Bowel Cancer London Marathon runners to our post-race reception.  It's hard not to end up using cliches, as each runner was inspiring and their dedication to our cause is amazing.  What was also amazing was that each time I said thank you for running for us and for raising much needed sponsorship every one, without exception, said "No.  Thank you".  They each said it was a privilege and said that they are were delighted to support such a wonderful charity.

Our runners had different stories about why they got involved and raised money for us.  Mandy is a nurse diagnosed with bowel cancer two years ago and she found that the support our own nurses gave her and our information booklets we provided really helped her make sense of what she was going through.  Ian, whose soldier brother has advanced bowel cancer, said that what we do is great and our willingness to challenge the taboo by talking about bottoms means that others will not have to go through what his brother has gone through.  Victoria, running in memory of her sister said that the support we provided Hannah with was amazing and that she and her family appreciated this.

I am incredibly proud of Beating Bowel Cancer and its work.  We run the only bowel cancer helpline in the UK.  We send out tens of thousands of support booklets each year. We work with patients' cancer nurses to support them in their care.  We bring patients, family and relatives together through our online forum, our Facebook Groups, our local fundraising activities and our annual Patient Day (the next one being on 26th April).  We raise awareness everywhere we can - not least through a constant stream of articles in the media practically every day of the year.  We even challenge governments to do better - having won two significant campaigns in the past year.  And it is still not enough. We need to do more and we need more money to do it.

So that is why I am doing Ride London.  I want to join the hundreds of individuals who support us by running, cycling, and in many other ways.  I want to do my bit to beat bowel cancer.  If you wish to support me and our work then I would be very grateful, just click this link: Mark's Just Giving page.

Thank you XXX