www.mrselsmore.com :: Race for Life, Edinburgh, 4th June 2006

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My Father became ill with cancer in 1986. He was an extremely strong man with an unshakable faith in God and it took the cancer three years to beat him. I sometimes find it surprising that it is nearly seventeen years since he died as I remember him so clearly. He was a man of fun, immense wit and boundless love. And I miss him. Dreadfully.

Here in the UK there are a series of adverts on TV for Cancer Research UK, which are based around various people saying: 'I shouldn't be here.', or 'My ------ should be here.' There is one of a bride getting ready on the morning of her wedding, saying: 'My Mum should be here.' My Father was missed greatly on our wedding day, although there would have been hell to pay about my change from Catholisism to Episcopalianism if he had still been alive! We honoured him throughout the service and afterwards Warren & I left the chapel and placed my bouquet on his grave before heading up to the reception.

Over the years since his death Muma & I have done lots of charity work for Cancer Research UK and its forerunners; anyone who knows me knows we have thrown charity events galore and that for each one my Mother has done the catering - for anywhere between 60 and 140 people - provided the crockery, cutlery, tables, glasses, coffee cups, decorations and done all the washing up. Well, now that she is past a certain age (couldn't possibly tell you what, she would be most offended!), she has given up a lot of her more demanding roles including her committee charity work - it was simply getting too much for her.

I discovered that there was this event called 'Race for Life', run in locations throughout the UK, throughout the year and when I saw that the one in Edinburgh was on the day before the seventeenth anniversary of my Father's death I just knew that she & I had to join in. And this is where you come in dear reader:

We are walking 5km round Holyrood Park, Edinburgh on Sunday 4th June 2006 and we would be most grateful if you felt you could sponsor us a little on our way round. Every penny helps them to fight this dreadful disease and prevent other families losing their loved ones to it.

I have set up an on-line fundraising page to make life easier for all.

I swithered about whether to put this on the blog, but I'm afraid my desire to raise funds for Cancer Reserach UK overcame my reluctance to ask my friends for money. I hope you don't mind and it is not too 'attention-seeking'.

Comments

1 - Thank you very much Kate. Hope life is good with you.

Posted by Kitty At 18:57:53 On 25/05/2006 | - Website - |

2 - I am so sad to hear of your dads' death. I will be going to the run tomorrow and I hope to see you there.

Posted by Kathryn At 14:50:42 On 03/06/2006 | - Website - |

3 - Elaine you are a star. Thank you very much. See you there!

Posted by Kitty At 12:06:55 On 27/05/2006 | - Website - |

4 - WOW! Rob that is amazingly generous of you. Thank you so very, very much.

Posted by Kitty At 16:42:53 On 21/05/2006 | - Website - |

5 - Thank you so much Elizabeth and Lionel. Lovely to see you on Sunday, hope you coped with your early flight on Monday!

Posted by Kitty At 11:10:18 On 07/06/2006 | - Website - |

6 - Thank you Kathryn. I hope you had a good day. I was so touched by all the messages that were on the signs on people's backs - nearly had me in tears several times.

Posted by Kitty At 13:14:38 On 06/06/2006 | - Website - |