rivers2cross

What has my Mum got to do with the new Fields of Dawn music release. In a nutshell an awful lot as she remains the inspiration behind all my fundraising. The fact is that if Mum hadn’t got bowel cancer and sadly died from it, my path would probably never have crossed with so many of you who have supported my fundraising going back over 8 years now. So for anyone who has connected with me in more recent times and wonders why I am continuously asking for fundraising support this is my mum’s cancer story.

Mum was diagnosed with bowel cancer in Spring 2012. She underwent a course of chemotherapy and radiotherapy to shrink the tumour in the bowel and had surgery to remove it in September 2012. Shortly after surgery attention was switched to her lungs where the cancer was thought to have spread to. Mum underwent two further operations, one on each lung, at the beginning of 2013. One of the nodules they took out was cancerous, which we had expected as it had shown up on scans from the very beginning, and it had responded to the chemotherapy Mum had for the tumour in the bowel. The nodule removed from the lung was a secondary cancer from the bowel.

For the next 18 months everything went really well, but unfortunately, in November 2014 at her annual check-up the cancer had come back, and once again it was in one of her lungs. So, February 2015 saw Mum having another operation to remove the cancerous nodule. This was the third time she had had to have this procedure, which is major surgery. There was no complaining and, like with so many people with cancer, she went with the treatment plan. There is of course no other option. Six weeks after the operation Mum had the last of her post-operation follow up appointments at the hospital. The operation was successful with the cancerous nodule removed, and Mum made an excellent recovery.

In October 2015 another nodule was discovered on her left lung, so the decision was taken to remove the lower lob of the lung. Before this could happen Mum experienced a seizure and scans showed two lesions on her brain. At the beginning of 2016 Mum had CyberKnife treatment for the lesions on her brain, and then she had the surgery on her lung. The courage and determination with which she faced up to the illness and dealt with everything that came her way was truly inspirational. She was 79 at this point and a quite remarkable woman.

The picture you see is of me with Mum in Cornwall in May 2016. A couple of weeks after this trip Mum experienced a huge seizure which paralysed her down one side and impaired her speech. She was to be in hospital for almost two months. With the help of steroids, she regained her speech and limited movement, but the bad news was there were no more treatment options available and she went into a nursing home for end of life care. She died peacefully one week after her 80^th birthday in August 2016.

So whether my fundraising supports Love Hope Strength, Bowel Cancer UK, Cancer Research UK, or any other cancer charities in the future it will all be down to my wonderful mum x She got to see much of my fundraising achievements and saw the change in me. I know she would be incredibly happy to see how many amazing friendships I have built over the last few years.

I can’t see a time when I won’t do the fundraising. I am trying to better pace myself and not ask quite so often for your support. BUT I’m afraid at the moment I do have a very special music release “On The Way Back” / Far Far Away” which needs your support so please head over to rivers2cross.com to buy either the CD, Download or 7” Vinyl. All profits are donated to Love Hope Strength. I remain so very grateful for the wonderful support I’ve been very fortunate to have had… Thank you x