Why am I doing this?

As you can see from this picture, the little old lady in the wheelchair (my Mam) could pass for an 80 year old. This picture was taken a fortnight before she was.

This is Breast Cancer at it's devastating worst. Mam was diagnosed in early 1987. Mam was a staff nurse of 30 years standing and trained at Shotley Bridge General Hospital, she cared for the elderley and knew exactly what lay ahead for her.

Thanks to a mastectomy (unfotunately not followed up by radiotherapy in those days) it lay dormant until 16 years later and returned with a vengeance. Thereafter, 4 years of heartache accompanied by radiotherapy, chemo, tamoxifen and other unpleasant 'treatments'. She died on 10th July 2003. She was 57.

Unfortunately whilst it is personal to my sisters and I this is an all too common story in our part of the world.

If you haven't already, please contribute to Breast Cancer Care today.

Paul Dalkin
25 May 2006