11 years next month my life changed forever. I was misdiagnosed twice by my doctors surgery and A&E, which sadly resulted in me collapsing whilst the huge cancerous tumour growing inside me wrapped it's self around my windpipe. My heart stopped beating several times and luckily my Dad saved my life by resuscitating me, whilst my Mum called the ambulance. From that traumatic night, I spent the next 2 years of my teenage life in and out of hospital having chemotherapy, surgery, blood tests and medical steroids. I lost my voice for the first four months from the tumour causing that much damage to my voice box, liver failure and underwent two blood transfusions. And that's just the half of it. But there's a happy ending to my story. I never gave up along with the help of my amazing family I managed to get all my GCSEs despite having a year off school, A levels and I went onto university graduating with a 2:1 and now have a permanent position at Rolls- Royce.

During my treatment my weight increased dramatically and my fitness decreased massively. This was due to a lot of my time spent in hospital beds and wheel chairs due to the severity of the treatment. I had a ridiculous amount of medical steroids pumped into my body to shrink the tumour. The medical steroids have a serious side effect of appetite increase and weight gain. When I started chemotherapy I was 60kg, I was nearly pushing 95kg towards the end of my two year treatment! As soon as I had the strength, I devoted my life to keeping fit and healthy. It makes me feel incredible. Over the years I have become the fittest and strongest I have ever been!
Therefore I have decided to push myself to the Ultimate and run a half marathon. This is a major challenge for me as this will be my first half marathon and a lot of dedication and will power will have to go into this.

I have decided to raise money for The Brads Cancer Foundation. This charity provides equipment for the care and lifestyle specifically for teenagers with cancer in the East Midlands. The charity supports the development of a Teenage Cancer Unit, through the Teenage Cancer Trust. The charity helped me during my treatment by presenting me with a large cheque for a real hair wig. If you think back to your own teenage life, it isn't easy being a teenager with all the hormones and growing up. But imagine that plus having to lose your hair, having to sit hooked up to a machine while poison is pumped into you, while your friends are all out together doing what teenagers do. The Brads Cancer Foundation make the terrible situation a little bit easier by providing the teenagers with a ward that is fully equipped with the latest technology and home comforts. My own experience of the charity made the trauma of losing my hair a little easier. The cheque for my real hair wig provided me a little bit of hope and a lot of happiness.

That said, please dig deep and sponsor me to complete this challenge. It is such an amazing charity, I hope this post inspires others to raise money for the charity, because the money can change a teenager cancer patients life. 

If you want to learn more about Brads Cancer Foundation the website is - www.brads.org.uk

I would like to dedicate this to a special friend of mine, who always taught me to embrace my past and not be afraid or embarrassed to tell others. It isn't a weakness it just makes you stronger. Love you Cathy.