So here I am , 30 months on after a 24 month shortest prognosis and T4 cancer, still luckily enough to be able to take on big challenges. This post is for those who have recently been diagnosed and feel that it is the end, those who physically are able to do something but mentally have given up and those who perhaps are able to do more for this wonderful charity either themselves or through others. It is not meant to offend or upset anyone who may be in a more unfortunate situation than I for which there are many sadly on this site.
I set off today for Exeter to start tomorrow on the first of all 15 marathons in 15 days with Jeff Stelling from Sky Sports taking us to a finish at Newcastle. Whilst I have run/walked plenty of challenging multi-day ultramarathons, I have never done this many consecutive marathons, it will at this time be my biggest challenge. I know I can bang out a few walking marathons but the attrition to my feet, muscles and joints of doing so many is an unknown factor for me. The safest thing to do would of course be to stay at home and watch telly but what would that achieve? I spent too much of pre-cancer life doing that. I know I can do that again and maybe that will be all I can do physically in the not too distant future but for now it's not!
So what are these 15 marathons all about, well it's about raising profile, awareness and money to tame this rubbish disease that affects too many. What have I done? Well as part of my efforts this year it has already amongst other things helped me raise over £75,000 for this charity since my diagnosis ( through races, golf days, gigs, raffles etc that I have been involved in organising) but furthermore I have inspired others through presentations and being prepared to bare my soul to do their bit. In May alone people I know raised £50,000 inspired by me and over 80 will be joining me on a day or more of the 15 marathons and should collectively raise the same again.
As I have said in previous posts, this is not about "look at me" but think about your situation. Most importantly, what have you always wanted to do, is it possible that you could do it with the right commitment and attitude? It may be something like learning to play guitar or speaking Spainish, it does not have to be physical like my challenges. The point is that you control how you think and what you actually do but understandably can be swamped by the enormity of what prostate cancer can bring. I had a grim 3 months on diagnosis until I started to "live" again and since then despite chemo, radiotherapy, drugs failing, radiation proctitis, osteopenia plus plenty if grim side effects I now manage to put them to one side and get out there.
The other area that has helped me mentally has been doing things for Prostate Cancer UK. This site and the lovely people on it got me through those tearful three months and still inspires me every day as I read every post and I want to do what I can to raise funds and awareness so my kids will not have to deal with what any of us are in years to come. For me that's a blend of direct fund raising and inspiring others, I know many here are not in a position to do much themselves but I would hope that they may be able to inspire family, work colleagues and friends to take on a challenge ( or a cake bake?)and raise a few quid for the charity along the way. I have run many marathons where I meet children of older men with prostate cancer doing what their dads or uncles or friends can't so perhaps this note will help inspire something in your world too.
Thank you for reading this, as I said at the start this is not meant to offend but hopefully inspire people to not give up and do what they can to help others. I know that the future for me is ultimately grim but why waste today worrying about an as of yet day not set in stone when I can still do so much.
Take care, Kev
Dream like you have forever, live like you only have today Avatar is me doing the 600 mile Camino de Santiago May 2019 |
User
So here I am , 30 months on after a 24 month shortest prognosis and T4 cancer, still luckily enough to be able to take on big challenges. This post is for those who have recently been diagnosed and feel that it is the end, those who physically are able to do something but mentally have given up and those who perhaps are able to do more for this wonderful charity either themselves or through others. It is not meant to offend or upset anyone who may be in a more unfortunate situation than I for which there are many sadly on this site.
I set off today for Exeter to start tomorrow on the first of all 15 marathons in 15 days with Jeff Stelling from Sky Sports taking us to a finish at Newcastle. Whilst I have run/walked plenty of challenging multi-day ultramarathons, I have never done this many consecutive marathons, it will at this time be my biggest challenge. I know I can bang out a few walking marathons but the attrition to my feet, muscles and joints of doing so many is an unknown factor for me. The safest thing to do would of course be to stay at home and watch telly but what would that achieve? I spent too much of pre-cancer life doing that. I know I can do that again and maybe that will be all I can do physically in the not too distant future but for now it's not!
So what are these 15 marathons all about, well it's about raising profile, awareness and money to tame this rubbish disease that affects too many. What have I done? Well as part of my efforts this year it has already amongst other things helped me raise over £75,000 for this charity since my diagnosis ( through races, golf days, gigs, raffles etc that I have been involved in organising) but furthermore I have inspired others through presentations and being prepared to bare my soul to do their bit. In May alone people I know raised £50,000 inspired by me and over 80 will be joining me on a day or more of the 15 marathons and should collectively raise the same again.
As I have said in previous posts, this is not about "look at me" but think about your situation. Most importantly, what have you always wanted to do, is it possible that you could do it with the right commitment and attitude? It may be something like learning to play guitar or speaking Spainish, it does not have to be physical like my challenges. The point is that you control how you think and what you actually do but understandably can be swamped by the enormity of what prostate cancer can bring. I had a grim 3 months on diagnosis until I started to "live" again and since then despite chemo, radiotherapy, drugs failing, radiation proctitis, osteopenia plus plenty if grim side effects I now manage to put them to one side and get out there.
The other area that has helped me mentally has been doing things for Prostate Cancer UK. This site and the lovely people on it got me through those tearful three months and still inspires me every day as I read every post and I want to do what I can to raise funds and awareness so my kids will not have to deal with what any of us are in years to come. For me that's a blend of direct fund raising and inspiring others, I know many here are not in a position to do much themselves but I would hope that they may be able to inspire family, work colleagues and friends to take on a challenge ( or a cake bake?)and raise a few quid for the charity along the way. I have run many marathons where I meet children of older men with prostate cancer doing what their dads or uncles or friends can't so perhaps this note will help inspire something in your world too.
Thank you for reading this, as I said at the start this is not meant to offend but hopefully inspire people to not give up and do what they can to help others. I know that the future for me is ultimately grim but why waste today worrying about an as of yet day not set in stone when I can still do so much.
Take care, Kev
Dream like you have forever, live like you only have today Avatar is me doing the 600 mile Camino de Santiago May 2019 |
User
Dear Kevin ,yes you are a total inspiration and it's great to read all your fantastic feats ,long may it continue and we look forward to all your great updates .
Best wishes
Debby
User
Hi Kev
I never really know how to answer your posts to be honest. What you have done for yourself and your family and for PCUK and general awareness is fantastic. I seriously don't know how you do it. I've kept fit all my life but have had 30 years hard labour mostly on my feet. At the age of 50 ( next week ) it is all I can do to walk the dogs for 45 minutes each morning !
But I agree about tasking yourself and taking on new challenges. After 3 years of retirement due to mental illness I have started a job close to my heart , caring for the elderly both nursing and residential. Boy have I seen some stuff in the last 3 months for meagre pay , but returning home full of goodness inside me because I have counted in some way. We even have end-stage PCa clients in there I am helping. Frightens me a bit but I ain't leaving !!
Keep doing what you are doing , and keep doing it as well as you are doing it
User
Well done 1201.
What a champ you are (or maybe that should read "chump" haha for taking on the Marathon de Sable)
Seriously, what your post (and your BBC interview) show is that the mind is as important as the body in fighting this disease.
I really hope that people reading the above will also be inspired to do something but even if they can't, then add a few quid to your efforts in the hope that some of that inspiration rubs off. !!
A day sitting on the beach in high temperatures is enough to wilt me, let alone running on sand in the heat.
Well done Kevin, you are not only a champion you are a star!!
We can't control the winds - but we can adjust our sails |
User
Well done Chris. In your own way you are also giving back.
Most of us shy away from mental illness because we just do not know how to respond to people who are suffering.
I expect you have real empathy for the patients
******
We can't control the winds - but we can adjust our sails |
User
Kev, like Chris I'm at a loss how to reply to your posts. The medics used to say to me your body will find something else to supply energy now T is low. I've no idea what your mind/body found but if you ever find out stick it in bottles and flog it big time.
Running obviously keeps you going strong so keep on running
Saying well done seems very inadequate but - well done!!
Ray
User
Thank you for your kind comments, I have just finished the first marathon, met many other inspiring people who have had, have or have lost someone to prostate cancer. Jeff Stelling was fantastic, the amount of times he stopped for the public, listened to other people's stories all with a smile was amazing. I have to mention the charity staff too, they were all up and setting things up at 6-00 am and didn't finish their debrief until after 10-00pm, I don't know of many people as dedicated as that, I know that they made every walker feel special today. So tomorrow is Weston super mare to Bristol, sun forecast which is great. And for those who wonder about how many steps I did today well it was just over 63.000!
Dream like you have forever, live like you only have today Avatar is me doing the 600 mile Camino de Santiago May 2019 |
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User
Well done 1201.
What a champ you are (or maybe that should read "chump" haha for taking on the Marathon de Sable)
Seriously, what your post (and your BBC interview) show is that the mind is as important as the body in fighting this disease.
I really hope that people reading the above will also be inspired to do something but even if they can't, then add a few quid to your efforts in the hope that some of that inspiration rubs off. !!
A day sitting on the beach in high temperatures is enough to wilt me, let alone running on sand in the heat.
Well done Kevin, you are not only a champion you are a star!!
We can't control the winds - but we can adjust our sails |
User
Dear Kevin ,yes you are a total inspiration and it's great to read all your fantastic feats ,long may it continue and we look forward to all your great updates .
Best wishes
Debby
User
Hi Kev
I never really know how to answer your posts to be honest. What you have done for yourself and your family and for PCUK and general awareness is fantastic. I seriously don't know how you do it. I've kept fit all my life but have had 30 years hard labour mostly on my feet. At the age of 50 ( next week ) it is all I can do to walk the dogs for 45 minutes each morning !
But I agree about tasking yourself and taking on new challenges. After 3 years of retirement due to mental illness I have started a job close to my heart , caring for the elderly both nursing and residential. Boy have I seen some stuff in the last 3 months for meagre pay , but returning home full of goodness inside me because I have counted in some way. We even have end-stage PCa clients in there I am helping. Frightens me a bit but I ain't leaving !!
Keep doing what you are doing , and keep doing it as well as you are doing it
User
Well done Chris. In your own way you are also giving back.
Most of us shy away from mental illness because we just do not know how to respond to people who are suffering.
I expect you have real empathy for the patients
******
We can't control the winds - but we can adjust our sails |
User
Kev, like Chris I'm at a loss how to reply to your posts. The medics used to say to me your body will find something else to supply energy now T is low. I've no idea what your mind/body found but if you ever find out stick it in bottles and flog it big time.
Running obviously keeps you going strong so keep on running
Saying well done seems very inadequate but - well done!!
Ray
User
Thank you for your kind comments, I have just finished the first marathon, met many other inspiring people who have had, have or have lost someone to prostate cancer. Jeff Stelling was fantastic, the amount of times he stopped for the public, listened to other people's stories all with a smile was amazing. I have to mention the charity staff too, they were all up and setting things up at 6-00 am and didn't finish their debrief until after 10-00pm, I don't know of many people as dedicated as that, I know that they made every walker feel special today. So tomorrow is Weston super mare to Bristol, sun forecast which is great. And for those who wonder about how many steps I did today well it was just over 63.000!
Dream like you have forever, live like you only have today Avatar is me doing the 600 mile Camino de Santiago May 2019 |
User
Brilliant, Kev,
May I wish you the very Best of Luck for the rest of your journey.
Steve