Through the wonders of social media I have known Gina Shergold ever since I started my bowel cancer fundraising. Gina's partner Steve was fighting bowel cancer, and she was writing the most informative, and very personal blog about their journey. They later got married, and went on to have their daughter Esmée However, very sadly Steve passed away in November 2015 aged just 33. Bowel cancer is still very much perceived as an older person's illness, but more and more young people are being diagnosed. A lot more work needs to be done. Gina is currently managing the Teamvericco cancer charity, and she also helps bowel cancer charities in raising awareness about this awful disease.
I met Gina and Esmée for the forthcoming bowel cancer charity book, The Record, just over a year ago in Bournemouth. Gina has become an inspiration to so many people associated with bowel cancer, and it was a very humbling experience listening to her story first hand. It is a chapter that will hopefully touch people, but it's a warm and inspiring piece too. We also had to get Esmeè to pose for the camera, which was hilarious and only resolved through bribery 😄
I lost my mum to bowel cancer on August 29th, 2016. She was diagnosed in 2012, and although the initial bowel operation was successful, the cancer spread to her lungs resulting in four further operations. She bounced back each time, but the cancer finally spread to her brain, and her health deteriorated, and she passed away one week after her 80th birthday. Bowel cancer is the second highest cancer killer in the UK, claiming 16,000 lives each year. However, if detected early it can be successfully treated in over 90% of cases, so increasing awareness and improving early detection rates is vital.
All proceeds raised from sales of the new book will be donated to Beating Bowel Cancer / Bowel Cancer UK, who have recently merged to become the UK's leading bowel cancer charity. I am hoping the book might be close to completion by the end of this year, although there is no set deadline as I am self publishing. Please take a look at my www.bowelcancerfundraisingwebsite.co.uk website to see the items I am already selling to raise funds for the charity. Over £3750 has been raised to date.
