Training Walks Part Three

I wanted to finish off my blog of last week, which detailed my time in the Lake District getting in some much needed training walks for Mont Blanc. Not that I'm imagining that walking up a few sub 3,000ft 'fells' is going to in any way prepare me for what climbing a 15,782 feet snow-capped monster will be like. It was more of a tester week for myself, to get back out into the mountains after what had seemed an interminably miserable winter; To see how I would fare walking a moderate distance, every day, for a week.

As mentioned in last week's blog, the weather threw everything at me in a week: Snow, torrential rain, horizontal rain...and unbelievably beautiful, blue-sky sunny days. The sort of days that you really are glad to be alive. Everything seemed crystal clear, ultra-defined, with an extra sense of heightenment. They're the sort of days that I remember as always being the best when I used to surf a lot, where the air seems to possess a shimmering quality, where you feel its rawness as you breathe it in.

A mountain that I'd long dreamt about: Causey Pike, North-Western Fells.
17/03/11. A day of horizontal rain and piercing wind.
Not the best day to be attempting a short, almost grade one, scramble!

Another peak of a similar fascination: Hobcarton Pike, or Hopegill Head.
The latter being the OS name, the former Wainwright's.
Whatever, a beautiful, but long, walk from Stair over Ladyside Pike.
With yet another hand-to-rock experience, which I wished had been longer.

From Hopegill Head or Hobcarton Pike the way westward over Whiteside.
A walk we'd tried to do in the snows of last winter, but failed miserably.
18/03/11. Another beautiful day in paradise.

Longside Edge, the way to Skiddaw. Derwent Water in the distance.
19/03/11.

The red, dome-like summit of Skiddaw. Still a way to go yet!

Skiddaw South Summit, looking towards the North-Western and Western fells.
Very, very cold, with a biting wind. Not the time to be taking in the view.

So that concludes my pictures of my last Lake District, although we're hoping to get back soon - my health permitting. Until next time, thanks for reading.

Training Walks Part Two

Living in the beautiful place where we do, on the East Devon and Dorset border, we're blessed with an abundance of beautiful places to get out to explore when the sun shines.  Even when it doesn't there's beauty and subtlety in the rolling hills, the cliffs, the pebbled beaches, the woods – whether they're covered in sun or cloud, their mood can sometimes accurately mirror my moods and lift them when they need to be. The looking at a map to find somewhere new to explore can often lead to a gem of a walk, unexpected and unknown. A walk down through the meadows of Thorncombe from Coles Cross this week brought such a surprise: On the map it looked plain, but in life it was anything but. It spoke to me of the pastoral idyl of Hardy, unchanged but very much loved.

With the arrival of Purdey I have to get out, to release her from the monotony of a life indoors. Her sad eyes follow you endlessly, as she waits patiently. But once we are out I am glad that we are, that she urged me to follow her back into life. I would lie if I said that things were easy at the moment. My aches and pains have returned, plunging me into doubt as to why they have returned to plague me once more. My bones hurt, mystery burning sensations too. My head hurts behind my eyes. But I'm still free to see the waves break on the shore, to see my dog frolic in the sea once more.

The setting sun at Charmouth, a wet dog, a glad heart all

I have always held a special place in my heart for the Lake District, a place visited from when I was very young, dragged protestingly up mountains no matter whatever the weather. The stories of our journeys up snow-bound ridges in the depth of winter, ill-fittingly equipped, have passed into legend, as have the memories of sore feet and heated tempers. It is place that I return to for solace, to be amongst friends – those beautiful rolling fells. Whether I will finish my Wainwrights or not I don't know, but I'm a third of the way through now, so I can look around and can see where I've been. The names that I adore so much: Blencathra, Glaramara, Sail, Grasmoor, Helvellyn, Ladyside Pike, Wasdale, Ennerdale. They are places that I return to, to escape to in my dreams.

The North Western Fells from Red Pike, the High Stile Ridge, Buttermere.
A walk that I've been wanting to do for a long time, it didn't disappoint.
13/03/11: Red Pike, High Stile, High Crag.

One of those mountains in the previous picture, Whiteless Pike, on the descent from Wandope.
14/03/11: Grasmoor via Lad Howes, Eel Crag, Wandope, Whiteless Pike, Rannerdale Knots.

Just over a month ago I was lucky enough to get to the beautiful Borrowdale valley for a week on my own, to walk amongst the hills with my thoughts. Beautiful blue skies, snow on the tops, drizzling rain and cloud – all in a week – but all welcome. Concentrating mainly on the fells in the Buttermere and Newlands Valleys six days of walking yielded another twenty two Wainwrights, but more than anything it gave me the hope that maybe I will get to Mont Blanc, if not to the top to get there at least. If I just can keep on walking...

Another fell that I've wanted to climb for a long time, Fleetwith Pike.
16/03/11: Fleetwith Pike (pictured), Grey Knotts, Brandreth, Haystacks.

The same mountain, Fleetwith Pike – the view from the top.
A fun climb with a few interesting sections of hand-to-rock action.

I'll be adding another post with further pictures of the rest of my week shortly.

The Fun of Fundraising

It was about time that I wrote about the fantastic effort that was put in at my recent fundraising event in Beer, and the result – a huge amount of sponsorship to put towards my Justgiving target and my Mont Blanc attempt later this year.

Organised by one of my family members - Annette, an absolute star - she worked tirelessly (as did my Mother) in getting it all booked and off the ground, finding people that were willing to book tables, participate in some way by donating items for sale, or willing to help out on the day. Booked for the Saturday of the first bank holiday weekend, we were expectant that there would be a large number of people around due to the run of extremely good weather there had been just before the holiday. However, recent sales had not been very well attended so we were a little nervous.

With the help of Dan at The Roy Castle Lung Castle Foundation I had borrowed a large banner to hang outside The Mariner's Hall, as well as a good range of publicity material to spread out on a table in an advantageous position. I'd also let the local newspapers know about the upcoming sale, as well as one of them ran an article about my myself and my diagnosis, my work in highlighting the importance of early lung cancer detection, the lack of research funding, and of course my Mont Blanc climb. The same paper had also arranged for a photographer to attend on the Saturday should any rioting occur at the cake stall!

The day started off sunny, which was a good omen. My stepdad had parked his vintage British motorcycle (an AJS) outside, which was getting lots of admiring glances and helping to stop people on their way down the street. Natalie, a relative from Colyton, had her two little boys also set up outside doing a fast business in selling their toys onto unsuspecting punters. Born businessmen if ever there was! There were bric-a-brac stalls and a raffle and tombola with lots of generous prices donated by local businesses (too many to mention, but a BIG thank to you all if you're reading this). Naomi and myself were manning the kitchen, dispensing the teas, coffees and cakes - a very busy task at the height of the morning.

Picture courtesy of the Axminster Pulmans

All-in-all it was a fantastic morning, with a great turnout and dedication from everyone involved. It was very touching that so many people put so much hard work in, donated their time and energy or items. I can't really name them all in person, but obviously special thanks to Annette, my Mother, Lynette (for the coffee, tea and eggs!) and everyone else that donated generously.

I can't deny that it was a very tiring morning for me physically and mentally, but we raised a spectacular amount of money towards my sponsorship, which is bringing my target and Mont Blanc that ever bit closer. Hopefully my Father will be arranging a charity fundraising concert later in the summer, so I'll keep you posted.

Thanks for reading, until next time...

Fundraising Event, Easter Saturday

Just a quick blog to let you know about a fund-raising event that my auntie (not actually my mum's cousin, but my family tree is a little difficult for me to try and explain!) and my mother have organised this forthcoming weekend, on Easter Saturday (the 23rd of April).

It's a table-top sale and coffee morning being held at The Mariner's Hall, Beer, Devon, from 9.30am until 12.30pm. There will be lots to do with a tombola and raffle, with lots of fantastic prizes courtesy of some very generous local businesses. There will also be a 'best decorated Easter egg' competition for two age groups, the under 5s and 6-12 year olds. There will obviously be tea and coffee being served, with a selection of delicious cakes to have there or take away, plus cream teas – if I don't eat all the scones first!

All proceeds will be going towards my sponsorship target and The Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation. I'm just over halfway of my target, currently standing at about £1300, or 52%. Everyone has already been hugely generous, for which I thank everyone that has got behind me. So just to remind ourselves of the goal I thought it was time to post up another fantastic image of my destination. Until next time, thanks for reading.

Five a day? Think seventeen!

A bit of an off-topic blog this one, but an interesting recent article in i, The Independent's 'mini' newspaper (which is incidentally very good), focused on how dieticians and health advisors can come to no clear conclusion about just how many portions of fruit and vegetables a day we should all be consuming. And indeed whether eating a diet consisting of a high amount of fruit and vegetables might even lower the risk of cancer at all.

The association between fruit and vegetable intake and reduced cancer risk seems weak, with experts indicating that eating five a day might lower cancer rates by just 2.5%. In the best case scenario, an extra two portions of fruit and vegetables each day could prevent 2.6% of cancers in men and 2.3% of cases in women, a 2010 study concluded. The Researchers, from the Mount Sinai School of Medicine (New York) took into account lifestyle factors such as smoking and exercise when drawing their conclusions. But writing in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, they said they could not rule out that even the small reduction in cancer risk seen was down to the fact that the kind of people who ate more fruit and vegetables lived healthier lives in many other respects too.

The World Cancer Research Fund has apparently long indicated that we should all be consuming 5-10 portions a day, with a recent survey from The Institute of Optimum Nutrition finding that the healthiest people within this survey ate eight portions a day.

With other governments advocating that we should all be eating more than five a day - Spain 8, Greece 9, Canada up to 10, and Japan amazingly 17 - why have the UK chosen five as the magical number? Well, it seems that the magical figure five was not gained from research - but from what the government deemed us unhealthy Brit's might be actually able to meet. With our daily intake of roughly two and a half portions a day it was seen that if it was any higher than five people simply would not be able to ever image achieving that target. To quote i:“In other words, our government aimed low because Brit's diets were so rubbish, that they thought that five was the best we could manage.”

But a word of warning in the i article comes from Zoe Harcombe, a leading nutritionist: Eating too much fruit might actually make you put on weight and lead to heart problems due to its high fructose (sugar) content. So now not only do we have to aim to eat seventeen portions of fruit or vegetables a day to be like the healthy Japanese, but not include too much fruit either. Confused?!

Eating healthily might just help you stay well and ward off cancer, but in the end it comes down to how you're generally living your life. Food for thought indeed...

When It Rains..

For once a useful piece from a local paper syndicate (the Budleigh Salterton / Exmouth / Sidmouth / Axminster Herald), although I did get to 'edit' it first which is always nice and prevents journalists from writing things that I have never said. One recent journalist managed to get figures relating to lung cancer research funding completely wrong, which is frustrating when I'm trying to give an accurate portrayal of what's happening, or not. The word 'survivor' in today's article was not something that I would have personally chosen, and was added after my edit. It seems to indicate that I have 'survived' cancer, which is simply not the case - I am LIVING with it, a big difference. Maybe an issue of semantics, but one I feel awkward about.

Midweek Herald Interview

When it rains, it pours, as the saying goes! I've also just carried out the first part of a possible interview for the Stella supplement of the Sunday Telegraph, looking at how a cancer or other permanent illness diagnosis can alter the dynamics of a relationship. Talking to a number of different couples, of different relationship periods, with differing illnesses, the journalist is looking to shed light on how people cope in their own individual ways. We were hesitant to get involved unless we felt that there was something that we could say to make people truly understand what it is like, for both of us, to live with a cancer diagnosis. The uncertainty, the denial of a pre-planned linear future etc. However, Helen (the journalist) strikes me as having the right aims, so we look forward to seeing what develops.

A beautiful day from last winter, of Bow Fell looking towards the Scafells

I have had a bit of a hiatus in writing recently, not for laziness, but because I'd been trying to get my thoughts together about the next piece, as well as I've had a lot on because of my grandmother being in hospital since Christmas Day. Normal service will resume shortly! Until next time...

The Problem with Cancer…

…is that it wants to get everywhere, into everything. Horrendous as it is that it takes away life, it seems to invade everything else too, to take away living itself: Every sense of my being and waking moment. A gnawing away of the soul, to leave a husk of what had once been. Living with cancer is like living a dream, a very bad one, 24 hours a day 7 days a week. No respite, no parole, no time off for good behaviour – just the reminder that this is now, that now there may be no future. There is no moment of laughing and forgetting, even though the laugh sounds real it hides the hurt inside. 

Inside my mind thoughts drift around, tethered to no central idea. Just another day of trying not to think about the C word, but failing miserably. Do I eat this, do I eat that? I better not, my body needs to work to 100% capacity. Do I stay up late? I better not, my body needs to fight the demon inside me. Do I bathe today? I better not, for fear of the rash that comes as a result of the drugs wrestling the invader into temporary restraint. Do I talk about this to friends, family? Do they want to know? Do they understand that when I don't answer the phone that I'm not ignoring them, not renouncing their friendship, just that to re-open the wound up again is to lay it open to the doubt that no-one can take away.

Brantrake Fell, Eskdale – Christmas Day training walk

But the question that Naomi and I both ask ourselves is are we now just more aware, or is cancer really everywhere? Every time I open the paper, watch the news, sit down to watch a film – it is there, there is no escape. It starts to wear me down, that it tries to infect my every moment. That another person dies and loses a short fight, sometime a long fight, but that they lost. That the person building his dream house no longer gets to live the dream, but instead we get a sunset scene with Kevin's voice-over. That the Hollywood dream machine now sees the C word as legitimate material for the multiplexes masses: John the hero does not get the girl, for she married her cancer stricken friend so that his son will not be without a family. In an alternative ending the husband gets an anonymous donation, obviously from the love interest, for a new drug that keeps him alive. We don't know how long his reprieve is for, as Hollywood does not control life or death, yet.

Beautiful Eskdale sees a Christmas sunset, December 2010

So I know that as sure as the sun rises, tomorrow will see the start of another day, and the end of life for someone living with cancer, despite the help of the doctors and nurses that try against the odds to keep hope and life alive*. That it might or not be reported in the news or made into a film. But not that any of it matters – we only have one life, so however it ends, it ends. Game over. But let's not walk away from life just yet, let's thank the stars that we get to see another day, live with hope that maybe we might get to see a few more days yet and find that inner strength to carry on, no matter how cancer tries to take away our pride. Standing up to cancer is hard, but if we all try in our own way perhaps we can make it go away once and for all.

p.s. After reading this we both almost decided that this was too heavy and honest, but then decided that it should have its place. So if you found it too much then I'm sorry, but life with cancer is not easy – so maybe that does not make easy reading in itself. Thanks.

*Having spent two days this Christmas as a guest of East Surrey Hospital I would like to say how truly amazing our health-care staff really are. Heros one and all. A big thank you.

A Happy Christmas and New Year

My plans to post before Christmas have gone a little out of the window, due to:
A) Having to dig our car out of the snow today, when I should have been blogging instead!
B) The research for my next piece not being on target. Either my memory is getting more addled with age, or the event I wanted to relay was longer ago than I thought.
So if we ever return from the winter wonders of the Lake District the next blog will be the 5th of January. Thanks for reading so far - have a fantastic festive time.