If you need just one reason

I can give you lots of reasons why I need your support in my Ride London effort.  Our nurses and how they need funding to do their valuable work every day.  Our information (booklets and via our website) that provide support and a source of hope for those dealing with bowel cancer and why we need to print more. Our approach to awareness raising by breaking the taboo, being the charity that challenges society to talk more about bottoms and bowels and the need to fund new campaigns that do this.  Or even the simple fact that we are still far too small and need to grow our income, our impact and our reach.

Personally, I was inspired to take part, despite my reservations about the size of the challenge and my ability to do it, by meeting one man.  I spoke to Christian Alvey on the day of last year's Ride London (pictured here on the right, with our Patron Matt Dawson) and was deeply affected by his story.  You can read it here http://www.justgiving.com/Christian-Alvey-RL100.

Quite simply, after hearing Christian's story there was no excuse for not signing up to do this year's Ride myself.  Christian exemplifies the heart of why we need to do what we do and why I, as Chief Executive of Beating Bowel Cancer, spend my days focused on our vital work.

So, whether you support me via my own Just Giving page (you can do so here), or whether you support Christian, or whatever way you show your support - thank you.  We are dealing with a cancer that needs to be beaten - whatever that means for every individual.  Beating Bowel Cancer will be here for you and for everyone we can.  We will do our best to make life better for those dealing with bowel cancer.  We will challenge society to listen about bowel cancer, to talk about it and, together, we will do our best to beat bowel cancer.

Thank you. X

Starting late

So, training has started.  Ouch!  Because I didn't have a road bike and the weather was pretty lousy I confined myself to the gym until recently, concentrating on building stamina and just getting used to exercise from doing nothing at all.  Then a very kind friend lent me his old bike - the Fuji you can just see in the picture.  It was time to get serious. Fortunately I live in Surrey (Woking border) and it is easy to get out into country lanes with their deceptively long slow inclines and, mercifully, not too much traffic.

I bought shoes and cleats, and scrounged up some reasonable gear and set off for a "quick" ride.  Six miles and one fall later I had started.  That was on 27 April.  I pushed the rides up and the miles then went from 9.7 to 15.6 to 18.3 to 21.7 and yesterday I hit 26.6 miles.  The last two rides were in cold, damp and windy conditions so I learned a lot about staying warm, adding fuel and the need for better socks!  I have also seen areas near where I live that I have never been to before.  There is something good about going down a road and hoping you are not about to set off on a dead end or a 10 mile detour.

The challenges so far are clear.  I need to improve my pace - still feels too slow to be able to complete the Ride London.  I need to get sorted on how to tackle even the smallest incline - one early on in my route has left me exhausted.  How will I ever get up Box and Leith Hills at this rate?  I need to start enjoying it - it is still something I have to do rather than want to.  But...I do feel great.  I feel a little slimmer, and expect weight to go as I seem to be burning close to 2000 calories per ride.  I am sleeping like a baby.  

I am nervous about getting to the level needed to do the Ride London, but have to trust that I will - if I get out there and build the miles up.  Who knows, maybe I will become a "proper" cyclist" and even buy my own bike one day?

And finally, proof.  This is a pretty poor selfie taken just before my first ride of just 6 miles. Hides the double chin (almost).  I will post another soon, when you can see I am beginning to look like a real cyclist.

I am taking part in Ride London on 10 August, aiming to raise £10,000 for Beating Bowel cancer's work.  I would be delighted if you could show you support with a donation on my Just Giving page.  Thank you. X

It has been hectic

With apologies for the silence, but the last few weeks have been very busy.

Our Patient Day was a stunning success - the biggest ever with great speakers. We heard from patients about their experiences and they gave wise advice about how to handle different aspects of bowel cancer. We heard from senior clinicians - doctors and nurses - about everything from trends in treatment to the psychology of being diagnosed with bowel cancer.  And we celebrated the best of us all with our Achievement Awards, given to five amazing individuals who are all helping to beat bowel cancer.  This year they were presented by Lord Mayor of London, Fiona Woolf CBE.  That's the lovely Gail Allen in the picture receiving hers alongside the Lord Mayor and our Chairman Sir Christopher Pitchers.

Ten days before I was locked in a radio studio doing back to back interviews with local stations talking about the need to have that life-saving conversation about bowel cancer and the need to Lift the Lid.  It was all about getting the message out, raising awareness and getting people diagnosed earlier.  I also talked about the need for the roll out of a new screening test which is easier to do and more accurate and, when introduced nationally, should improve screening uptake and so lead to many more being diagnosed earlier. We called for this knowing it was being considered for piloting - and we had asked for this many times in the past.  But in all our conversations and all our meetings we had no clear statement that it would be introduced anytime soon. Well, thanks to that little extra pressure Public Health England announced that the first pilots are to take place. Getting there over the years has been the collaborative work of many, but on the day we know the pressure to finally act was thanks to our Lift the Lid Day.

All in all, a successful bowel cancer awareness month.  Lots of conversations were had, many on our Message Wall, including posts from politicians and celebrity supporters. We won a specific response from a governmental body.  We announced our two new Ambassadors - Freya North and Kevin Sheedy.  We got massive media coverage numbering hundreds of local radio and press items. And, all in all, lots of awareness was raised.

Our work goes on.  Our nurses are here to help and in the future we need to help more people than we are able to now.  It's the people we are not able to be there for that keep me awake at night.  We are relatively small when compared to other cancer charities but our need is as big.  So, we need to help more people and make more noise.

I am taking part in Ride London on 10 August, aiming to raise £10,000 for Beating Bowel cancer's work.  I would be delighted if you could show you support with a donation on my Just Giving page.  Thank you. X