On Sunday 12th June, Natasha's Gang will once again be running (probably more like walking) the 5k course at the Lincolnshire Showground in aid of Cancer Research UK; but this time with a snazzy new name... Natasha's Gang 2! (Not very creative I know, sorry.)
This year I feel I will be more much able to enjoy the event, and I'll be walking the course with everyone else, instead of being pushed around it in a wheelchair.
I'll always remember the Race for Life last year, not only because we raised an amazing amount of money (thank you all who donated last year) but it was one of the days where I felt absolutely awful. The event fell on the Sunday of the week where I had spent Monday-Friday going backwards and forwards to Nottingham having chemo; not great timing.
I wasn't able to help much with the fundraising effort last year either, and only mentioned that we were doing it a few days before it happened, and only posted it on here after it had happened.
This year however that will not be the case.
I am lucky that over the last 40 years, the 10 year survival rate for Hodgkin's has improved from 50% to over 80%. However, it is only with research that this improvement will be shown across all cancer types, and ultimately there will come a day where all cancer's can be cured with treatment with fewer side effects.
It is with your donations that this vital work can take place, so if you can please donate by clicking here.
Thank you.
Monday, 25 April 2016
Thursday, 7 April 2016
1 year
On April 7th 2015, exactly 1 year ago today, I found out I had cancer.
Today, I had my second follow up appointment, and I'm still in remission. I don't have to go back until July. This time a year ago, I didn't yet know what was going to happen.
I thought cancer was a death sentence. That is not the case anymore, and I'm living proof of it.
A lot can happen in a year, both good and bad, and it can change your life beyond recognition.
I'm forever grateful for everyday I wake up and feel well. I was never like that before, and in reality when I look back I was ungrateful for what I did have. I was doing well at school, had a lovely group of friends, and had my family close by. It's a shame that this had to happen to make me realise that.
But now that it has, I will never be ungrateful for those things ever again.
I turned 18 yesterday. For me being 17 will always have negative feelings attached, so the fact I never have to say I'm 17 again is fantastic. It has helped me draw a line under things.
I've realised I should be grateful for what I have rather than sad for what I don't.
Today, I had my second follow up appointment, and I'm still in remission. I don't have to go back until July. This time a year ago, I didn't yet know what was going to happen.
I thought cancer was a death sentence. That is not the case anymore, and I'm living proof of it.
A lot can happen in a year, both good and bad, and it can change your life beyond recognition.
I'm forever grateful for everyday I wake up and feel well. I was never like that before, and in reality when I look back I was ungrateful for what I did have. I was doing well at school, had a lovely group of friends, and had my family close by. It's a shame that this had to happen to make me realise that.
But now that it has, I will never be ungrateful for those things ever again.
I turned 18 yesterday. For me being 17 will always have negative feelings attached, so the fact I never have to say I'm 17 again is fantastic. It has helped me draw a line under things.
I've realised I should be grateful for what I have rather than sad for what I don't.
Monday, 14 March 2016
Charity Ball in aid of Teenage Cancer Trust
Writing to you all this time with very much a 'good news story' which raised a lot of money for charity.
One of my best friends Jess is very good at organising events; she has previously run a very successful ball in aid of the charity work she does, sending gifts to children with a condition called scoliosis, which is a curvature of the spine. Jess has her own experience with this, and had a serious operation a few years ago to correct her own curve. She tackled the whole horrid experience with tenacity and a fantastic sense of humour, and she really is an inspiration to me, and the fact that after her experience she wanted to help others really is amazing.
After I was diagnosed and told her more about how the Teenage Cancer Trust did and still continue to help me in my recovery, she said she was going to organise and event to raise money for them.
I wasn't sure what event she had had in mind, but I wasn't expecting a ball with live music and a photo booth and over 100 people attending.
On Saturday 5th March we took over the Cathedral Ballroom at the Doubletree by Hilton hotel on the Brayford Waterfront in Lincoln; and the total raised including a raffle and an auction was £1720 which is absolutely incredible. £50 can pay for a young person to have 2 hours with a specialist nurse, so that amount can achieve so much.
One of my best friends Jess is very good at organising events; she has previously run a very successful ball in aid of the charity work she does, sending gifts to children with a condition called scoliosis, which is a curvature of the spine. Jess has her own experience with this, and had a serious operation a few years ago to correct her own curve. She tackled the whole horrid experience with tenacity and a fantastic sense of humour, and she really is an inspiration to me, and the fact that after her experience she wanted to help others really is amazing.
After I was diagnosed and told her more about how the Teenage Cancer Trust did and still continue to help me in my recovery, she said she was going to organise and event to raise money for them.
I wasn't sure what event she had had in mind, but I wasn't expecting a ball with live music and a photo booth and over 100 people attending.
On Saturday 5th March we took over the Cathedral Ballroom at the Doubletree by Hilton hotel on the Brayford Waterfront in Lincoln; and the total raised including a raffle and an auction was £1720 which is absolutely incredible. £50 can pay for a young person to have 2 hours with a specialist nurse, so that amount can achieve so much.
So, Jess, if you're reading this, you should be so proud of yourself for organising such an amazing event, and thank you.
Tuesday, 1 March 2016
Long term effects
Happy March everyone! Finally a step closer towards spring and the milder weather, which I can't wait for!
It was this step closer to warmer weather that made me think more about the long term effects of my cancer and its treatment. The chemotherapy I had made my skin more sensitive to the sun, so I spent last summer covered in SPF 50 even in the weaker British sun. However, I'm going on holiday in April (I can't wait!) and I've had to think about sun exposure much more than I would have done before. I also had radiotherapy to my neck and chest, and these areas should be exposed to as little sun as possible, so I'm taking sun tops for swimming in, as well as my trusty SPF 50.
The radiotherapy I had also means I will need a blood thyroid test every year for the rest of my life, as radiotherapy to the chest causes around 80% of patients thyroid glands to become under active and around 10% to become overactive. I've been told that this can be easily managed with medication if this happens.
I will also be entered into the breast cancer screening programme earlier than usual. Currently, all women aged 50-70 are invited for breast screening, although it varies slightly by county, but this is being extended to 47-73 by the end of this year. I will be entered into the programme when I'm 30, plus or minus a few years depending on where I'm living when I near that age. This is because the radiotherapy has put me at a slightly increased risk of developing breast cancer.
All that being said, this seems like nothing compared to other cancers and their treatments. I still have my eyesight, my hearing and my mobility; and for that I am grateful.
It was this step closer to warmer weather that made me think more about the long term effects of my cancer and its treatment. The chemotherapy I had made my skin more sensitive to the sun, so I spent last summer covered in SPF 50 even in the weaker British sun. However, I'm going on holiday in April (I can't wait!) and I've had to think about sun exposure much more than I would have done before. I also had radiotherapy to my neck and chest, and these areas should be exposed to as little sun as possible, so I'm taking sun tops for swimming in, as well as my trusty SPF 50.
The radiotherapy I had also means I will need a blood thyroid test every year for the rest of my life, as radiotherapy to the chest causes around 80% of patients thyroid glands to become under active and around 10% to become overactive. I've been told that this can be easily managed with medication if this happens.
I will also be entered into the breast cancer screening programme earlier than usual. Currently, all women aged 50-70 are invited for breast screening, although it varies slightly by county, but this is being extended to 47-73 by the end of this year. I will be entered into the programme when I'm 30, plus or minus a few years depending on where I'm living when I near that age. This is because the radiotherapy has put me at a slightly increased risk of developing breast cancer.
All that being said, this seems like nothing compared to other cancers and their treatments. I still have my eyesight, my hearing and my mobility; and for that I am grateful.
Friday, 12 February 2016
Why Haven't We Cured Cancer?
A question I have considered many a time over the last few months. But, as I began to learn more about this disease, I realised the scale of the challenge to be overcome. Here are a few reasons why.
1. Cancer is not a single disease, it is an umbrella term for a range of diseases.
Just like Dementia is an umbrella term for symptoms caused by a range of diseases like Alzheimer's, Cancer is a word that refers to a large array of different diseases that have one main thing in common - the cells ability to multiply and divide (potentially) infinitely. It is also why different types of Cancer's require different treatments.
2. Not every treatment works for everyone.
Even if two different people have the same type, subtype, stage and grade of Cancer, they can still respond differently to the same treatment. I was told at the start of my treatment that statistically 2/3 of people do not need radiotherapy after chemotherapy, but 1/3 do. This highlights the difference.
3. Research into targeted therapies is complicated.
The use of targeted therapies involves analysis of the tumour which can be used to predict what treatment is likely to work best for that patient, and they hold significant potential for improving the prognosis of patients. For example, in breast cancer, tests are carried out to determine whether or not oestrogen receptors are expressed in the tumour. If they are, the drug Tamoxifen is more likely to work in that patient, compared to one where oestrogen receptors are not expressed. However, even this is not a guarantee that the drug will work, as again this depends on stage and grade.
4. Some types of Cancer are harder to identify and then treat.
Pancreatic Cancer has one of the poorest prognosis of all the types of Cancer. This is because by the time the patient experiences symptoms and it is diagnosed, it is often late stage, and therefore not much can be done. Surgery is only an option for 50% of patients, and the 5 year survival rate is 5%.
5. Each Cancer can be caused by a different set of genetic mutations.
This answers why patients with the same Cancer and treatment can have different clinical responses. Knudson's multi hit hypothesis suggests that 5 or 6 'hits' or genetic mutations would have to occur in the DNA to call a cell truly cancerous, and also explains why Cancer is more common in old age - as more time has passed to allow these 5 or 6 hits. However, these 5 or 6 hits are not the same for each Cancer, so there is a potentially endless amount of genetic mutations that can lead to Cancer, that all need researching.
1. Cancer is not a single disease, it is an umbrella term for a range of diseases.
Just like Dementia is an umbrella term for symptoms caused by a range of diseases like Alzheimer's, Cancer is a word that refers to a large array of different diseases that have one main thing in common - the cells ability to multiply and divide (potentially) infinitely. It is also why different types of Cancer's require different treatments.
2. Not every treatment works for everyone.
Even if two different people have the same type, subtype, stage and grade of Cancer, they can still respond differently to the same treatment. I was told at the start of my treatment that statistically 2/3 of people do not need radiotherapy after chemotherapy, but 1/3 do. This highlights the difference.
3. Research into targeted therapies is complicated.
The use of targeted therapies involves analysis of the tumour which can be used to predict what treatment is likely to work best for that patient, and they hold significant potential for improving the prognosis of patients. For example, in breast cancer, tests are carried out to determine whether or not oestrogen receptors are expressed in the tumour. If they are, the drug Tamoxifen is more likely to work in that patient, compared to one where oestrogen receptors are not expressed. However, even this is not a guarantee that the drug will work, as again this depends on stage and grade.
4. Some types of Cancer are harder to identify and then treat.
Pancreatic Cancer has one of the poorest prognosis of all the types of Cancer. This is because by the time the patient experiences symptoms and it is diagnosed, it is often late stage, and therefore not much can be done. Surgery is only an option for 50% of patients, and the 5 year survival rate is 5%.
5. Each Cancer can be caused by a different set of genetic mutations.
This answers why patients with the same Cancer and treatment can have different clinical responses. Knudson's multi hit hypothesis suggests that 5 or 6 'hits' or genetic mutations would have to occur in the DNA to call a cell truly cancerous, and also explains why Cancer is more common in old age - as more time has passed to allow these 5 or 6 hits. However, these 5 or 6 hits are not the same for each Cancer, so there is a potentially endless amount of genetic mutations that can lead to Cancer, that all need researching.
Thursday, 4 February 2016
World Cancer Day - 4 February 2016
World Cancer Day is something that I'm very glad exists. Of course it helps to raise money to fund research and provide specialist care. However, it also starts a conversation.
Many people feel uncomfortable talking about Cancer. Think about for one second how many other names are given to Cancer to avoid saying the word. "The C-Word", "The dreaded C" and many others. Cancer as a word strikes fear into the heart of many, quite understandably, but what if we just named it "Weird cell disease". Suddenly it's not as frightening. We need to change how we talk about a disease that will affect around half of us over a lifetime.
We should also acknowledge the improvements which have been made, particularly over the last 50 years. Today, 1 in 2 people will survive their Cancer for at least 10 years. In 1970, only 1 in 4 did. However, the fact that anybody dies of this dreadful disease shows that our work is not yet complete.
Cancer Research UK are running a campaign to raise money around World Cancer Day by selling Unity Bands, so pick one up from your local Cancer Research UK shop, or you can buy one here.
You can also donate £3 by texting WECAN to 70200
We stand united.
Many people feel uncomfortable talking about Cancer. Think about for one second how many other names are given to Cancer to avoid saying the word. "The C-Word", "The dreaded C" and many others. Cancer as a word strikes fear into the heart of many, quite understandably, but what if we just named it "Weird cell disease". Suddenly it's not as frightening. We need to change how we talk about a disease that will affect around half of us over a lifetime.
We should also acknowledge the improvements which have been made, particularly over the last 50 years. Today, 1 in 2 people will survive their Cancer for at least 10 years. In 1970, only 1 in 4 did. However, the fact that anybody dies of this dreadful disease shows that our work is not yet complete.
Cancer Research UK are running a campaign to raise money around World Cancer Day by selling Unity Bands, so pick one up from your local Cancer Research UK shop, or you can buy one here.
You can also donate £3 by texting WECAN to 70200
We stand united.
Friday, 8 January 2016
Lush: My favourites
For Christmas I got 4 Lush gift boxes, further fuelling my obsession with the brand! Lush is a handmade cosmetics company who's products are mostly vegan. Ranging from bath ballistics to shampoo and conditioner and moisturisers.
I've always enjoyed the occasional bath product from there, but with my treatment making me unable to do many things I enjoyed such as horse riding, my attention shifted towards the things that I could still do.
Usually I am a 'shower person'; I find it easier and faster, especially when I had long hair. However, it got to the point that I couldn't stand up long enough to have a shower, and I found it so much more of a chore than I did previously. So my Mum suggested I take a bath, and it was honestly the strangest thing.
For the time I was in the bath, I felt ok. During my worst treatment it was a blessing to just feel ok. I don't know whether that was because the water took the weight off my joints or that it regulated my temperature, but it did more to help me feel better than any of the tablets I was taking. This was when I got back into Lush. I had more time to care for my slowly returning hair so I explored different products I hadn't before.
These are some of my favourite products:
I hope I've inspired you to invest in some bath and shower products as it can really improve your mood. Happy new year and see you in the next blog post!
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