A good news story

I've been in my own head a bit lately. After a few too many beers over the weekend and disrupted sleep, I started to dwell on the possibility of cancer (Cyril) making a comeback.

It was the one year anniversary of my diagnosis on the 11th of January. I'd posted about it on Social Media and received an outpouring of support from my friends and family. Some of the comments really moved me. Maybe we do seek validation by posting on Social Media, it's still nice to receive it sometimes. 

I touched briefly on being grateful for what I have, in spite of what I've lost. But the full story is - I still get down about what I've lost from time to time. This is entirely normal.

There is solace to be found in the gentle act of continuing to put one foot in front of the other. 

On the 11th, with a slightly fuzzy head from the weekend's festivities, I finally stopped procrastinating and signed up to a Personal Trainer course. I'd love to go part-time at work and do a bit of PT on the side. I've already had a few enquiries from willing victims! The idea of helping people to be healthy genuinely motivates me and I've discovered a new enthusiasm for studying.

I switched on the TV this morning and a News story about Car-T therapy grabbed my attention. They are now treating aggressive forms of leukemia with the patient's own genetically engineered T-cells. These cells find and destroy specific cancer cells that haven't responded to other treatments.

This offers hope for many who have not been as fortunate as me.

It offers hope to me. 

To know there are good people out there working tirelessy to fight cancer, and discovering new weapons like Car-T therapy, is a huge comfort.

I'm not a massively spiritual person but sometimes I find meaning in moments like this. I took the timing of that news story as a message from my Mum and Dad to remain hopeful, enjoy what I have now and seize the day.


I'm looking at completing the Yorkshire 3 Peaks, for the second time, in May. Perhaps foolishly, I have a 10 mile fell race a few days later. It seems like a good opportunity to raise some more money for Cancer Research and help fund the fight.




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