Thank you for your continuous support in highlighting our campaign to lower bowel cancer screening to include the under 40’s and indeed everyone. We all know too well the devastation cancer causes to the patient and the wider support network including family, friends and colleagues. The pain of losing a love one remains with us for ever. I don’t want another family to go through what we have. Let’s rid the notion bowel cancer only affects the over 60’s. Well it doesn’t, anyone can be diagnosed with it. When caught earlier your chances of surviving is higher and treatment can be more effective.

We all grieve in our own way. I have come to realise there is never a right or wrong way of grieving. We try our best to cope with the pain. When my brother fell ill, I decided to keep a diary to process everything going on around us. And after Rob passed the diary became a place to write those grieving thoughts we have or the guilt we feel. Last year I decided to self-publish my diary of this time on Amazon in the hope of encouraging others not to bottle up there feelings and to keep a diary to help them through the challenges to coping with loss. I wanted to thank Marie Curie for being there for us in Rob’s final days. So I decided to donate all proceeds to them

The book entitled The Grieving Diary of losing a brother is available on amazon.  Enabled me to work through grieve and get to a point where I can help other out there, make a real difference. I knew early on I wanted to see the bowel cancer screening age to be lowered. However, in order to be strong enough to focus on this campaign I needed to take time out. By publishing the book, it helped to express those thoughts and to feel I can go forward, and continue to keep my brother at the heart of everything I do to bring change. (Photo taken in 1986 of Rob, my Dad, me as a baby and our sister Theresa)