A Year On

This blog celebrated its first birthday on Friday - happy birthday my friend.

"What a difference a day year makes."

I wrote that first blog for two reasons; 1) to try and make sense of what was in front of me, and 2) to 'announce' the cancer diagnosis (mainly so I didn't have to have the same conversation a thousand times). 

A year on, I get to write for a happier reasons.

In January, on a particularly cold morning walk with Evie, the first ideas began to form about possibly hosting an event to celebrate getting better, raising awareness of lymphoma and raising money for Lymphoma Action. To be honest, back then it felt a hundred years away and little more than a pipe dream - but it gave us something to aim for.

On Saturday 10th September, a year and a day after my initial diagnosis, we held that event; a black tie charity fundraising night with all our friends and family in aid of Lymphoma Action.

We raised £7,438.47.

I keep finding myself looking at that figure. Seven thousand. That is an absolutely insane amount of money and something we didn't think we'd get close to. If we had managed even half that much, I'm sure we'd have been thrilled - but with the incredible, relentless squad of raffle ticket sellers, some phenomenal auction and raffle prizes (never mind the auctioneer performance for the ages from my Dad...!) and the sheer generosity of so many people... well, it blew us away.

Following a few quick beers for some dutch courage, I stood up and said a few words. Not more bloody words, I know, I know - but if you're interested, I've posted the speech here.

One of the great things that has come from this dalliance with cancer is the reminder it has given me (and I'm guessing quite a few of you too) not to take anything for granted and to cherish those close to you. This was a theme writ large throughout both the build up and the night itself.

It was a truly humbling evening.

This week is also six months on from my last chemo session. It feels so long ago and I have done so much since then that it almost feels like a bad dream rather than something that actually happened.

I felt semi-fraudulent on Saturday when all these people came to the event to see me, the guy who had cancer... who is now so 'normal' it is almost funny. I even have a full set of eyebrows now, and my boy band blonde streaks are (sadly) no more. 

I'm still carrying an underlying anxiety that something bad is in the post. I spend an inordinate amount of time subconsciously feeling my neck for lumps and bumps... before realising what I am doing and snapping out of it.  But I guess that is my normal for the foreseeable. 

I have my six month check in with the consultant on Wednesday, so if I can get through that with no alarms... well, it's another big hurdle cleared.

So, what's next - just the small matter of the Chicago Marathon in less than three weeks...!

I was meant to run this in 2020 before Covid became a thing, deferring to '21 when cancer became a big thing. Fortunately, I was able to defer for a third year. 

Sunday 9th October. LFG.

Admittedly, it has been a challenge. To go from a standing start a week after chemo finished to running a marathon less than seven months later spiced up the challenge a little more than I may have wanted initially. 

On that first run a week after chemo ended in March, I had successfully convinced myself that all the walking around the village during treatment must surely have retained some fitness. I was wrong. I staggered round for 1.8 miles, had both a nose bleed at the end and was nearly sick. 

Since then, I've ran 550 miles over 109 runs and this very morning, ran 20 freaking miles.

It was thoroughly grim and every bit of me hurts now but what a blessing to be able to do it again. That said though, Chicago is going to be off the scales tough. I've done my previous four marathons under four hours and that has always been my target this time round, but realistically, I'll be amazed if I get close - a chemo chair to marathon in seven months was always going to be ridiculous, so I need to not kill myself over a few minutes here or there. Completing it will be the achievement of a lifetime, and that is what I need to focus on when it gets difficult in a few weeks time. 

And so, with it being at least a week since I last shook my donation tin, it is time to start banging the Chicago drum! We've got new targets to hit...

So, if you can and would like to, please donate here. Every penny is hugely appreciated (and would you look at that total!). At the very least it will spur me on in Chicago, and the money raised will make a real life difference to people's lives.

Thank you, and until next time.