New War on Cancer site coming soon!

Hello everyone!

I have exciting news for War on Cancer! - I am now the proud owner of the domain name waroncancer.co.uk , really happy about this development indeed. I always said to myself that when I got back out there and got myself working that I would move my blog because although Blogger has been brilliant, there are a lot of things that cannot be done with my site that I want to, so I will move it to a new host.

I am extremely lucky that my nephew Damien is again going to design my new website to my specs, he is a qualified web designer and has said he will donate his time for doing this wonderfully generous thing to War on Cancer - so I thank you Damien from the bottom of my heart!

So in the near future War on Cancer will be re-launched to it's new web address and wait for it -- with it's very first two sponsors! This year is going to be great for War on Cancer - I will be moving it forward on the next step of it's journey.

Already had a great response to the announcement I made for this years annual endurance sponsored challenge - Climb Ben Nevis 2013. So for those of you undecided -- for some healthy training and the climbing of a wee hill ;)....afterwards you get to hang out with old and new friends re-living your glorious ascent to the summit and the observatory ruins with a BBQ and beers...I can for sure guarantee lots of fun & laughter and the amount of endurance challenge returnee's is a testament to how good last years event was!
So with that in mind, I hope to be hearing from some new adventurers who not only want to challenge themselves but help raise money and awareness for cancer charities.

I hope that when my new site is up and running that I can persuade you to tell all your friends and families about it, encourage people to read it and hopefully some of you will maybe sponsor my quest to climb Mt'Kilimanjaro this year. One of the new features will be an on-line sponsor form and hopefully you will take advantage of this. It will be much easier for everyone to leave comments against posts, features etc and I actively encourage you all to take advantage of this to leave feedback, question me and yes suggest challenges for myself or for team participation.

I hope you all come join me on the next leg of this wonderful journey, it's great knowing you are there supporting and encouraging me along the way.

I've had what I hope is the last surgical procedure on my bladder today, this was my second procedure in 6 months and I'm hoping for better results than the last one. It is a different procedure, both done with a rigid cystoscopy ( never again ). Last time I got an infection about 10 days after the procedure and the had an ongoing infection for practically the whole of the next 6 months. I have been on antibiotics for 11 months solid now, and it seems they may now be causing me problems and side effects.So here's hoping my issues that are preventing me from doing any real exercise will soon be a thing of the past and I can then get out there and get myself ready for what will be a really hard year of endurance events - I'm up for the challenge, are you up for one of them? let me know!

If you'd like to become a sponsor of War on Cancer....no amount is too little, then get in contact with me and we sit and chat!

Until next time
Tracy

Hello everyone

I want to take this time to wish each and everyone of you a very Happy New Year - I wish for you the very best of Health, Wealth and Happiness in 2013.

Thank you everyone who takes time to read the blog, to tell your friends and family about it and especially to everyone who has supported War on Cancer in anyway they could. From all the generous donations of prizes for the tombola, to helping out at the random car washes we've held. To Mike the landlord of The Sun Inn at Cottingley who donates his car park and water to us for the car washes.

Thank you to all my die hard supporters who agree to do any crazy idea I come up with! and of course to all of you who sponsor and buy at the events. Without you all, this blog and fund-raising wouldn't be half as much fun! I look forward to seeing you at the 2013 events and hope we have as much fun as in 2012!

As you know, the 2013 sponsored endurance event has been announced - climbing Ben Nevis....I'm ecstatic  to say we are already into double figures with people signing up for it.....I can say if it goes like this years on the 2013 challenge will be a massive success. I hope to see not only this years entrants, but lots of new ones too....if there are new faces, it means War on Cancer is going the right way!

I am looking into a charity Zumba event....will let you know as soon as, time and venue to follow if I can get one sorted. Also for next winter - I will try again to cajole you into an indoor wall climbing adventure -- to be part of a team who climb the equivalent height of a chosen mountain, now that's something different!

I said I would look into a fun weekend for WoC's avid supporters...a weekend of white water rafting and maybe a mini highland games thrown in to boot! This will not be a fund-raiser, just like minded people getting together to chill, catch up and let their hair down. I will let you know when I've costed the weekend out.

Well that's it from War on Cancer and myself for 2012....I hope you've enjoyed your time here with me and I look forward to moving through 2013 with you. I hope you've all managed to get something positive from the blog, I write it with great openness and honesty and hope I show that no matter what we go through as individuals, we can always strive to better ourselves and always help others.

I want to say a big well done to all those who have gone through treatments this year, major congratulations to those who have been given the all clear, keep going to those who are still having treatments and you can do it to those about to start. And always in our memories and heart the brave ones who fought to the end but didn't make it....each and everyone of you are hero's for fighting the fight, well you are to me and will always be.

Keep helping yourselves everyone, get out exercising and eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables....we know how much I go on...but seriously we only get one body, help it to fight off illnesses and medical conditions wherever you can, it's been proven to help.

I hope you can find the time to share the blog with your friends and family, to help me raise awareness about cancer and hopefully help break down this still very taboo subject for those who are struggling with it.

Thank you for sharing some of your time with me in 2012 and I hope to see you around in 2013.

Until next time
Tracy

Follow War on Cancer on Bloglovin!

Hello everyone

You can now follow War on Cancer on Bloglovin!...go to www.bloglovin.com and search War on Cancer and hit the follow button or hit the follow button on the left hand side of the home page....this way you get notified of any updates. I hope you decide to come join me and recommend the blog to your friends over on this fantastic blog site!

Until Next time
Tracy

Ben Nevis snippets

You can now follow the blog on Bloglovin.....there is a link on the left hand side of the home page!

Here's a little more information about Ben Nevis for you....I will keep adding snippets for you. If you want to come join and do the 2013 sponsored challenge add your name to the comments on the 2013 challenge tab or contact me.....there are plenty of places to stay in and around Fort William while climbing Ben Nevis to cater to all tastes.

Ben Nevis, or 'The Ben' as it is fondly known, sits majestically at the head of Loch Linnhe, its presence dominating the landscape from all corners of Fort William and some parts of Lochaber. The dramatic effect of Ben Nevis is emphasised by the fact that it begins its rise from sea-level. From the coast, it rises like a huge whale-back shape. This ends abruptly in 2000 ft cliffs to its north-east. This two-faced form of the Ben is what makes it so popular, providing steep but straightforward walking on paths on one side and challenging climbing on the other.

So until next time

Tracy

Ben Nevis - 2013 Endurance Sponsored Challenge

Ben Nevis translated from Gaelic means " Mountain of Heaven" it stands at 4408ft. Ben Nevis or "The Ben" as it is more commonly known is in actual fact an ancient huge volcano that would have been comparative to  the explosion of Krakatoa in 1883.

The first recorded ascent was in 1771 and in 1883 a footpath and observatory were built all thanks to Clement Linley Wragge. According to the records from the observatory between 1883 - 1904, fog was present almost 80% of the time at the summit between Nov & Jan, 55% of the time between May & June. The ave winter temp was -5c and the mean monthly temp for the year was -0.5c. In an ave year it the summit sees 261 gales and receives 4,350mm's of rain ( 171 in ) - the rainfall in winter is almost twice as high than that of spring and summer.

Clement Linley Wragge climbed The Ben daily to make observations leading to the opening of the observatory in 1883, this remained manned until it's closer in 1904.It is still the most comprehensive set of data on mountain weather in Britain.

So the weather will probably not be perfect on our ascent to the summit, but I know we will take out climb in great humour and with solid determination to reach the summit no matter what. I will post more facts and information regarding "The Ben" and War on Cancer's sponsored challenge 2013 over the coming months.

I hope to see many of you coming along to take up the challenge in War on Cancer's name, and getting yourselves the superb satisfaction of knowing you've conquered Britian's highest mountain along the way.

Based on the first annual challenge that was undertaken this year, a superb weekend it will be!

Until next time
Tracy

2013 Sponsored Endurance Challenge Announcement

Hello Everyone

So War on Cancer's sponsored endurance challenge of 2013 is -- climbing Ben Nevis! This challenge will take place on Saturday June 8th 2013. More details to follow.

 Anyone wanting to take up the challenge will have to pledge to a minimum amount of sponsorship raised. I of course hope that it will be greater than the minimum, but feel it is important to show a commitment to War on Cancer and the cancer charities it supports. War on Cancer will continue to support it's current chosen charities until after my Mount Kilimanjaro climb which unfortunately had to be delayed from 2012 to 2013  due to ongoing health issues.

I hope to see the regular supporters taking up this event, and hope that from your enthusiastic recounting of this years Yorkshire 3 Peak challenge that you have in inspired your friends and colleagues to think about taking up our new challenge. The  Yorkshire 3 Peak challenge was such a huge success, not only from the money raised, but the raised awareness of War on Cancer and cancer in general got a great boost from our first annual endurance event! I cannot thank enough the wonderful people who took part and made it such a memorable day.

I hope this new challenge is taken up by even more people, who doesn't want to say they've stood at the summit of Ben Nevis and the highest point of Great Britain?!!! Again this is a great way to motivate yourselves into getting some training in, I always hark on about the fact exercise is great for you and your body, it really is proven to help prevent certain types of cancer. So even if this new challenge isn't for you -- get out and exercise your one and only body!!

After another disappointing year on the health front for myself this year, and the disappointment of having to delay Mt.Kilimanjaro - one of the first challenges I set myself while still having my invasive treatments, I have re-set my challenges for 2013 and will try drive myself to achieve them as always ( it's never my lack of motivation and determination that stops me from successfully completing any challenges, that's for sure!! )

So my personal year of challenges will start with the Ben Nevis climb challenge on Saturday June 8th, this will be a great practice for Mt. Kilimanjaro in the Sept/Oct ( dates to be confirmed )which I can happily say my big brother is coming to do with me! And then finally in Nov myself and a few great friends and a couple of family members are going if we can get places power walk the New York marathon! - this will be for Walk the Walk uniting against breat cancer again. I already have a theme planned, and will tell you all about it once our places are confirmed!

I want to take this opportunity to thank each and every person who has supported War on Cancer this year - thank you to all of you who have donated gifts for the tombola's, who have sponsored someone in the events have helped WoC raise awareness which is has important has raising money, helped encourage people to get out exercising and especially those of you who couldn't make the cocktail events which meant I HAD  to drink one or three for you all!!

I want to thank each and everyone of you for your unwaivering support of me and of course this blog WoC - without all of you none of this would be possible and I thank you from the bottom of my heart that you enable me to make my dreams of raising money and awareness a reality. Your support allows me to think of things we can all do together, to keep fund-raising fun for all of us.

A big thank you goes to our new friends Lost Earth Adventures and the owners Richard and Sarah, you helped make the 3 Peak adventure fun while being safe. I very much look forward to our future collaborations!

Please share the blog with , friends, family and work colleagues - help me get more supporters in 2013 who will happily spread the word. I will do a complete update of the blog over the holiday period.

Anyone know of someone/ a business who'd like to sponsor or adopt WoC for a year, please get in contact...hell if they don't want to sponsor WoC - I'm available ;)

Until next time
Tracy

As we near the end of 2012

With the end of 2012 coming, I want to re-cap the year, the up, the down's, the successes, the failures, the plans in the pipeline and what achievements I hope will happen in 2013...for War on Cancer as well as myself personally.

Before that, here's a photo of Autumn - one of my favourite seasons, you cannot beat the autumnal colours of the leaves. Those days where there's a chill in the air, but it's still good enough to get out and wander.

Healthwise 2012 has been a mixed bag for me again. I started the year still taking my cancer prevention drug Letrozole. The problems that I had at the end of 2012 carried over into the New Year, as the first quarter of the year got under way, my health and mobility deteriorated. I was at this point ( as a lot of you are aware ) struggling to get out of bed unaided, struggling to dress myself even while sitting down. The joint stiffness and swelling were very hard to bare, added to the bone and muscle pain, this made life very difficult.These issues were on top of all the other side effects I was struggling with. I was so very frustrated, unable to get to the gym, unable to move myself forward, in fact I was sliding ever further backwards.

 I finally had a consult with the Rheumatologist the back end of March where she confirmed that a lot of the problems were indeed being caused by the Letrozole ( the breast clinic doctors had said it wouldn't be the drug causing my bone, joint and muscle problems ). So this was the final piece of information I had been waiting for, I had been thinking long and hard about stopping the cancer prevention drug for up to 12 months. This consult made up my mind. I could in no way carry on like that for a further 3 years which is how long I still had to go with the Letrozole.

Now I had made my final decision I felt a weight come off my shoulders, it had been a very difficult decision to make, no doubt the right one for me, I couldn't have lived like that, I always said it's all about the quality of life, not the quantity. The conversations I had with the medical profession were lively shall I say at times. It is a massive risk I've taken, but if my life is only to be extended by 5 years for example through the drugs.....well it was 5 wasted years.....what is the point of extending your life by 5 years if you cannot do anything and are poorly for the whole of it.

 I know and understand the risks to myself from my decision - but everyday I get better, everyday I do something creative, fulfilling validates my decision. I am a million miles from where I want to be....but that is much closer than it was this March. Many issues I was having have been settling down over the months, the joint stiffness and pain is now manageable with painkillers, a vast improvement from before. My mobility is much better and I have been back in the gym on and off this year. The biggest issue I have is the ongoing problem with my lower pelvic area. I carried into this year these problems and will exit the year with them too. I have been seeing my consultant a lot this year. My issues are with UTI's, kidneys infections, lower back pain etc. I've had a couple of procedures done in July this year, which didn't solve my problems. I will be having another day surgery in Jan 2013...fingers crossed this solves it once and for all. I will have been on antibiotics for approx 11 months solid and my biggest worry is more for the long term....I, as many know pick up almost everything that's going around ( my immune system never really recovered from the chemo etc ) and after long use of the antibiotics, it may reduce the choices available to infections in the future. My body is already finding that some antibiotics are ineffectual. So lets hope I don't need to have any more doses for a very long time.

So War on Cancer has had a good year, the first annual endurance sponsored challenge was a huge success - thank you to everyone who took part!....I look forward to seeing you on the 2013 sponsored challenge, and hope we make some new friends who get has passionate about it as we all are!

I unfortunately didn't and couldn't complete the Yorkshire 3 Peaks challenge, I was very unwell coming down from the summit of Whernside and was in no fit state to carry on. I actually didn't stop vomiting until 4 pm that day....my big brother Graham reckoned I'd single handedly irrigated the Yorkshire Dales that day. It was a wonderful day made even better by the fantastic family & friends who took on this really tough challenge. I was totally overwhelmed by you all, and thank you for doing it, whether to challenge yourselves or as in most cases a mixture of that and supporting my cause.

Based on what happened at the 3 Peak challenge it was with a heavy heart I had to admit to myself I was in no way going to be able to do Mt. Kilimanjaro this year. I took that pretty bad at the time, and it's only with reflection I can accept it was a really big ask of myself to be ready to climb the world's tallest free standing mountain months after hardly being able to dress myself. Even my motivation and determination weren't going to get me to the "Roof of Africa" in 2012.

This year has seen family and friends fighting the fight against cancer....for those who finished their invasive treatments and those who are still having them - I want to say how truly wonderful you all are....I say to anyone who asks me....the cancer family is one no-one wants to belong to....but if you become part of it, there will never be anywhere that supports and understands you more. Keep fighting - it's what we all do best. For friends who fought courageously to the end but didn't make it, I say you never gave up and that's what's important. You are and will be sadly missed...but will never be forgotten. Always in our hearts.

I caught up with friends I had not seen in a long time - I loved my mad crazy week with Merryn, showing her around the North of England....letting her get a taste of Yorkshire and some surrounding counties as we did a whirlwind tour of everything Mr Darcy! - I think she'll be back to visit in the future.

The joys of Facebook saw me catch up with some old school chums who I hadn't seen or heard of in 30 years!....this is social media at it's most positive best! Some of my old school pals I had gone to school with at 4 years old and other at 9.....it has being the best time, catching up on each others lives. I cannot describe what fun I've had with all this!....it's so nice when social media is used for the good and not some poor  excuse at flirting and cheating on supposed loved ones. It is a very sad fact of life that individuals think that kind of poor behaviour is acceptable and that it's not really cheating....because you don't actually meet up with them....erm yes it is cheating in the fullest...it's only because geographically it may be impossible to meet up - the intent is still there.

I entered a new chapter of my life earlier this year, I started 2 part-time college courses ( both going really well )...I've been doing a work placement at the Bradford Bulls which is great fun. This after the end of my 14 year relationship.....it's all change about. A new me and a new future - onwards and upwards.

As always the year end lets many of us reflect over the previous year, many of us look toward the new year with personal challenges, plans and goals we set ourselves. So this is my 2013....

I will announce next month War on Cancer's sponsored annual endurance challenge event for 2013 - I hope to see a return to last years team...and I hope many new faces too! - I said it this year ( yikes )...but really want to move WoC forward in 2013......if you did the challenge and enjoyed it, please come join in 2013 and bring some friends to do the challenge with you! - this will be Spring bank weekend 2013.

I've not given up on a indoor wall climb challenge and will eventually wear you all down so you agree to do it! - I plan on trying to do my bit....and I really have poor upper body strength these days because of the amount of chest muscle I had cut away.....but I want to be part of a wall climb challenge....come help me out!

Mt.Kilimanjaro beckons me to complete the challenge I set myself back in 2010 while recovering from my chemo....this will be Sept/Oct time....help raising sponsorship will be gratefully accepted for this and all events of course!

And my final endurance challenge for 2013 will be with friends as we power walk the New York Marathon 2013 ( if we can secure places ) in November. This will not be for WoC...but Walk the Walk uniting against breast cancer charity.....the same charity we did the London Moonwalk for in 2011.

So after my day surgery in January - hopefully this will end my set backs and then I can concentrate on getting fit and building up my stamina once more....anyone wanting to come join me is more than welcome. 2013 is going to be a very exciting year and I look forward to sharing it with you.

My bucket list never gets shorter and if any of yours do.....I'd question what you are doing wrong! - I'm very fortunate that some of you want to come along and join me in some of my challenges and I hope to see you on more.

Remember Life is for living....Life life, No regrets!

Until next time
Tracy