29. Six degrees of separation – the SSG

I recently caught up over a beer with an F1 contact, who I met a few years ago in Australia. I was passing through Swindon to meet a friend in Marlborough, and he was out enjoying a beer festival with a few mates from his local running club.

To cut a long story short, not something I typically do, I know 😉 when I shared with him that my beast cancer was back, he told me that one of the running pals I’d met that day works in Neurology, and may have some experience she could share? He connected me with her and the ‘Swindon Support Group’ or ‘SSG’ was born.

Through the good old ‘six degrees of separation’, it then turned out that she lives in the same village as my dad’s cousin. Virtual introductions, hugs shared, Facebook comments and shouts of “I can see her garden from mine!” and the SSG extended a little further, with a steady stream of support, love and WhatsApp emojis… fabulous 🙂

Going the extra mile – or 13?!

But the SSG is now going one step further… in fact, a few hundred miles and a few thousand steps further!

This weekend is the Amsterdam Half Marathon, and Adrian and Diana are running it – NUTTERS! I only ever managed 10k (anything further is wasting valuable drinking time at the finish, no?)  but I understand they’ve been in training for a few months and, having run the Swindon Half a few weeks back, are both now carbo loading for the big event here on Sunday.

Adrian, Diana…

I cannot thank you both enough for making the effort to do this – I’ll be cheering you on and tracking you on the app! #runforrest

Everyone else…

These guys have so far raised around £2,5000 for Cancer Research, which is just incredible. If you can, want, or feel inclined to help them get that number even higher, click here to donate via their JustGiving page…

And me…

I’ve no idea how I’ll be on Sunday – I could be hidden in the cave, or I could be bouncing full of beans? As you can probably tell by the randomness of my blog updates lately, this is something I’m finding really tough and having to work through, but I’m really, really hoping to be out there in the sunshine cheering them on, while they put themselves through hell to make a difference, for me and so many others who are fighting back against cancer.

And I AM still fighting 

I will beat this – it’s far harder this time round but I am still fighting – even if my blog is a little quieter, I’m definitely not giving up.

The sun in shining here in Amsterdam, I am smiling and I hope you all are too 🙂 And if you see someone else smiling today, smile back at them, because something is always good in the world 🙂 xx

#toughertimes
#biggerbattle
#stillfighting
#stillsmiling

#BoxyOut