Spanner in the works!!!

Well ironically, 2 days after me entering for the Big Fun Run and the half marathon to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support I got a letter drop through my door informing me I had an abnormal smear test result. The technical term is severe dyskaryosis, in reality this means that there are changes in the cells which could possibly develop into cancer if left untreated. To say I was a little freaked out would be an understatment, but luckily I have good friends and family who helped calm me down!
So last week I had to go to hospital for a Colposcopy and becuase of the severity of cell changes they were removed by diathermy excision. This is sometimes called LLETZ (Large Loop Excision of the Transformation Zone) which is a little like a stick with a circle of wire on the end and an electric current is passed through to 'shave' the cells off :-O

Why am I telling you this? Well, for one it gave me a tiny tiny insight into the panic you must feel at the thought of being diagnosed with cancer - so this has made me even more determined to raise money for Macmillan for where else would most people turn to for help and support? If you can make even a small donatation please visit my Just Giving page where it will be gratefully recieved :-D
Secondly, I want all women out there to realise just HOW important it is to go for regular smear tests and how common it is to get an 'abnormal' result. Thankfully when these cells are caught early enough and treated accordingly there is rarely any further problems. So PLEASE PLEASE ladies, GO for that smear!! It literally could save your life ;-)
For more information please visit Colposcopy.co.uk

So as far as training is going it has bought things to a bit of a standstill - literally!! Bloody Typical!

Donating and Just Giving...........

Just Giving is a quick and convenient way of donating money to a charity and has the added benefit of reclaiming gift aid from the government which increases your donation further :-)

So if you feel able to sponsor me for any of the fundraising runs I am carrying out, the Justgiving site is an ideal way to do it!

If you log into the Just Giving Website and search for 'Vicky Whitlock' you will find all my current sponsorship pages that you can choose from - or maybe even split your donation between!

For many reasons Macmillan Cancer is my charity of choice and I do hope that you will help me raise as much money as possible for them as they do rely on supporters for 98% of thier income. Bearing in mind the diverse amount of services they provide to people who are affected by cancer in one form or another, they would leave a massive void if they were to dissapear.

A bit about Macmillan

What we do
Macmillan Cancer Support improves the lives of people affected by cancer. One in three of us will get cancer. We are all affected by cancer. We can all help. We are Macmillan.
As treatments improve, more and more people are living with cancer in their daily lives. This means they need more than medical help, they also need practical, emotional and financial support.

We are a source of support

We are a source of support, helping with all the things that people affected by cancer want and need. It's not only patients who live with cancer, so we also help carers, families and communities. We guide people through the system, supporting them every step of the way. We fund nurses and other specialist health care professionals and build cancer care centres. But we give so much more than medical help.
People need practical support at home, so we provide anything from some precious time off for a carer, to a lift to hospital. People need emotional support, so we listen, advise and share information though our CancerLine, website, support groups and trained professionals. People need financial help to cope with the extra costs cancer can bring, so we give benefits advice, and grants for anything from heating bills to travel costs. Together we listen, we learn, we act to help people live with cancer.

We are a force for change

We are a force for change, listening to people affected by cancer and working together to improve cancer care. People who live with cancer are experts by experience. Together we use this knowledge to make a positive difference to the lives of people affected by cancer. This could be anything from getting a coffee machine installed in a waiting room, to bringing about changes in the law.
We fight discrimination – from challenging unfair travel costs and insurance policies to improving the national benefits system. Together we challenge the status quo, we push for change, we lead the way.

We are Macmillan
We believe we can all help. We can raise money – through marathons, coffee mornings, street collections, sponsored events. We can give time – at cancer care centres, events, fundraising groups. We can share experiences – online, in the media, with each other.We are Macmillan.

For more information and ways you can help please visit thier website

Reason 2 run!

1. To achieve a lifelong goal - namely run a marathon, just dont ask me why! lol
2. To get fit[ter]
3. To raise money for a worthwhile cause, namely MACMILLAN CANCER SUPPORT too many people for my liking have got diagnosed with cancer recently, sadly some lost thier battle :-( In all cases Macmillan was a godsend and a lifeline ;-)
4. A sense of achievment
5. STRESS RELIEF!! ARRGGHH!!!

Im sure I will think of more as times go on! as well as reasons NOT to run hahah!!!

For now I will do a retrospective log of my training