Cancer Research UK

Since my grandad died from cancer of the oesophagus when I was 12 I have been a supporter of the charity  

Me with my Grandad and Nan

Cancer Research UK. I feel that their research and work into Cancer and their aim to find a cure for it is amazing and that hopefully one day deaths like my grandad's and millions of others will be avoided thanks to their tireless efforts. My grandad was an amazing man, everyone who met him would tell you how special he was and I have no doubt that he is remembered by many. But he died in his sixties, that is not old. He could have gone on to live a much longer life if this disease had not struck. I would give anything for him to have been able to meet Cameron, as I know my aunt feels as well about her youngest and my uncle about his. Not a day goes by when we don't think about my grandad.

 

He will always be a part of my life. Which is the reason that in the summer of 2009 I walked 16 miles through the town and all along the sea front for Cancer Research UK along with two of my school  friends, 

Some of the location for our charity walk

 raising around £300 for the charity. We went on a few 'training walks' of a few miles at a time and then one almost full length walk in preparation the week  before. On the day we did the walk I ended up having to wear ballet pumps as I had only just got my tattoo on my foot ('live without regrets') and couldn't cover it up in a pair of trainers! It was knackering and my feet had blisters for weeks afterwards but the  feeling of achievement and the money raised was totally worth it and I plan to do another walk next year to raise more money.



With my friend Stevie, one of the girls I did the walk with


Only a month later I was back to supporting, this time in a slightly more revealing way! I had seen an advert on the more magazine facebook page for girls who didn't mind having a topless photoshoot to raise awareness for Breast Cancer Research. I am usually pretty shy about public nudity but as it was for such a good cause I applied to do it, was picked and soon found myself in London surrounded by magazine staff and other nervous girls wearing a bathrobe over a pair of jeans the fashion girl had picked out for me. When it came to my turn I was really nervous but soon relaxed with such a professional and nice photographer, though I did have to keep getting told not to suck my stomach in as it showed where my ribs were! It was hard not to feel self conscious especially as my boobs at the time were barely an A cup! (Pregnancy brought them up to a DD then back down to a B).

I was sent a CD full of shots of me and one was featured in the magazine itself. I haven't put that one up as it was fully topless and there could be complaints! But I have put up one of the more covered up ones taken at  

My topless Photoshoot

the shoot. It was a great thing to do and I am very proud of myself for having done it. I wanted to be involved in the magazine's shoot this year but unfortunately I had only had Cameron a few weeks before so I wasn't able to get to London for it, which is a shame.

When I start my business up, hopefully over the summer, I aim to start donating more to the charity. I also want to be able to encorporate some form of awareness or funding through my events themselves so that will be my next project. I really do think it is such a worthwhile and important charity to support.

So, if you would like to donate anything you can afford, just follow the below link to the Cancer Research UK official donations page on their website.

https://donate.cancerresearchuk.org/donate.asp?id=1150



Or if you fancy helping raise money yourself you could consider running or walking or jogging in this year's race for life event:

http://www.raceforlife.org/Race-For-Life-2011.aspx

My friend Danielle has written a heartfelt blog about losing her dad to cancer:

http://tinkstales-tinkerbelldani.blogspot.com/2011/01/pancreatic-cancer.html