rivers2cross

I arrived home tonight to find this wonderful gift in the post. I’ve made so many amazing friendships over the years following Mum’s bowel cancer diagnosis and all that followed as a result for me. I know one thing for sure, that Mum would be so happy that something so positive has happened to my life as a result of this awful disease. I really has been life-changing for me and I am sure that I am a much better person as a result.

The gift was sent by Natalie Woodward, who is one of the nicest, kindest and inspirational person there could possibly be. Living with Stage 4 Bowel Cancer she has been though and endured more than 99.9% of us will ever truly be able to fully appreciate and understand, and she continues to deal chronic pain issues every day of her life. Nat has done this to simply stay alive and her zest for life and making the most of every singe day is amazing. She always puts others first and the world is such a better place with people like Nat in it. Natalie turns 40 this week, celebrating a birthday she was by no means sure of making. To mark her landmark birthday Natalie is swimming 40 miles to raise money for St Mark’s Hospital Foundation, who have played a massive part in Nat’s treatment and giving her the chance of more life. She deserves all the support she can get for this. You can sponsor her here. Thank you Nat for this lovely gift, which is just perfect on so many levels. I hope we are able to meet in person in the not too distant future x

Too many lives are still being lost to this awful disease. The fact that bowel cancer is very treatable if caught early, yet it remains the second highest cancer killer in the UK with 45 lives lost every single day! This shows how much more still needs to be done. Too many people are getting diagnosed at the advanced stage 4 where survival rates are considerably lower. Younger people especially are getting diagnosed far too late and this perception that bowel cancer only affects older people is so far off the mark. You are never too young to get bowel cancer!

Prince had surgery today to remove the tumours on his bottom. It has all gone to plan and he has also been castrated. Being over 13 it is important not to put Prince through anything unnecessary and also to try and get everything done in one go, so all that has been done. The benign tumour should hopefully not come back and if there any small bits left they shouldn’t get any bigger by controlling his testosterone levels, hence losing his nuts! So far tonight he seems to be doing remarkably well and has eaten his dinner and is now snoozing. He has to have medicine for a while for the pain management, but I am hoping that if he can have a settled night, then we will be looking good with the worst behind us.