Standing in the crowded park with my mum, and two thousand other women, under a bright, summer sky I could feel the amplified atmosphere as the welcome began for the charity race ahead. Poignant messages were being shared across the loud speaker and as the warm up followed I couldn't help but wipe a tear away. I noticed that mum was doing the same so I took her hand giving it a gentle squeeze as she gave me a small smile. “You OK?” I asked and she nodded. We were now exercising on the spot, trying to loosen our muscles, in time with the music and trying to copy the instructor on the stage. Today would be an emotional journey for both of us but I knew we could do it. The mood of the vicinity had already changed from sombre to excitement as everyone around us got into the swing of the warm up. As we finished I picked up my bottle of water and took a mouthful before twisting the cap back into place. “Ready for this?” I asked and mum nodded, a big smile replacing the small emotion filled one from earlier. “As I'll ever be,” she said as she linked arms with me. “We are going to have such a sense of achievement once we have done this,” she continued with pride seeping into her voice. I gave her a hug and said, “I think we already have that by just being here.”
As we waited for the race to start I thought back to twelve months earlier when I had sat in my oncologists office with a pounding heart, my husband sat on one side and mum sat on the other. Closing the door behind us Dr Belvoir seemed to take ages to get to her desk. My leg started jigging up and down in anticipation of the news that the doctor was about to share. As she finally sat down she made eye contact with me and smiled, “Rebecca, it's great news you are all clear.” I breathed a sigh and instantaneously I felt like a weight had been lifted from my tired shoulders. Looking to my left I could see my husband beaming as he reached for my hand, holding it tight as though he never wanted to let go. On my right my mum was struggling to hold back tears as a joyous smile spread across her face. Looking back at the doctor I said,“Thank you.” The time for celebration was upon us as the heartache started slipping away into the past. I was cancer free.
I came back to the present as mum nudged me telling me we were about to start. We edged closer to the area where the walkers were standing. The idea was for us to have fun without doing more than we were capable of and to raise lots of money for cancer charities, now very close to my heart. The race was started and a cheer went through the air. I took mum's hand as we started to walk. The grey tarmac was warm and smooth underfoot as the sun glistened and we moved quickly, trying to negotiate the crowds so we can find our own space further ahead. Every person we passed had a message on their back wishing someone well for the future or expressing loss caused by this horrific disease. Yet everyone's spirits were high, including ours and our pace never faltered, the people around us and the thought of the money we had raised spurring us on.
This was a five kilometre race and when we reached the 'one kilometre' sign mum gave me a high five before saying. “Come on, only four more to go.” With that we picked up our pace and kept going. As we walked down onto the dunes we took in the spectacular view the deep, blue sea gave us and this made it all the more worthwhile. Whilst we walked children were playing all around us, down on the beach, in the sea and in the park surrounding us. It was beautiful to see them enjoying the glorious weather without a care in the world. That to me, was how life should be.
I was so busy concentrating on everyone but me at that point, I missed a kerb and nearly fell flat on my face. Mum broke my fall by grabbing hold of me and once I had righted myself I could not stop giggling. Mum looked at me like I'd gone mental before joining in.
Soon we had one kilometre left and we were determined to get to the finish line before the end of the hour. We joined hands again and picked up an even faster pace without breaking into a run. On the last stretch my dad and my husband were stood cheering us on. We waved but kept going. As we re-entered the park, I gripped mum's hand tight. With the huge stop clock in sight my feet seemed to feel heavy as though our speed had faltered. We had four minutes if we wanted to finish within sixty minutes. My feet were feeling like lead but I dragged them forwards step by step and after what seemed like forever we crossed the finish line after fifty eight minutes and forty three seconds of walking. The look of ecstasy and pride on my face were immediately apparent as I pulled mum into a hug and kissed her on both cheeks. “Well done,” I said into her ear as we were given our medals.
As we waited for the race to start I thought back to twelve months earlier when I had sat in my oncologists office with a pounding heart, my husband sat on one side and mum sat on the other. Closing the door behind us Dr Belvoir seemed to take ages to get to her desk. My leg started jigging up and down in anticipation of the news that the doctor was about to share. As she finally sat down she made eye contact with me and smiled, “Rebecca, it's great news you are all clear.” I breathed a sigh and instantaneously I felt like a weight had been lifted from my tired shoulders. Looking to my left I could see my husband beaming as he reached for my hand, holding it tight as though he never wanted to let go. On my right my mum was struggling to hold back tears as a joyous smile spread across her face. Looking back at the doctor I said,“Thank you.” The time for celebration was upon us as the heartache started slipping away into the past. I was cancer free.
I came back to the present as mum nudged me telling me we were about to start. We edged closer to the area where the walkers were standing. The idea was for us to have fun without doing more than we were capable of and to raise lots of money for cancer charities, now very close to my heart. The race was started and a cheer went through the air. I took mum's hand as we started to walk. The grey tarmac was warm and smooth underfoot as the sun glistened and we moved quickly, trying to negotiate the crowds so we can find our own space further ahead. Every person we passed had a message on their back wishing someone well for the future or expressing loss caused by this horrific disease. Yet everyone's spirits were high, including ours and our pace never faltered, the people around us and the thought of the money we had raised spurring us on.
This was a five kilometre race and when we reached the 'one kilometre' sign mum gave me a high five before saying. “Come on, only four more to go.” With that we picked up our pace and kept going. As we walked down onto the dunes we took in the spectacular view the deep, blue sea gave us and this made it all the more worthwhile. Whilst we walked children were playing all around us, down on the beach, in the sea and in the park surrounding us. It was beautiful to see them enjoying the glorious weather without a care in the world. That to me, was how life should be.
I was so busy concentrating on everyone but me at that point, I missed a kerb and nearly fell flat on my face. Mum broke my fall by grabbing hold of me and once I had righted myself I could not stop giggling. Mum looked at me like I'd gone mental before joining in.
Soon we had one kilometre left and we were determined to get to the finish line before the end of the hour. We joined hands again and picked up an even faster pace without breaking into a run. On the last stretch my dad and my husband were stood cheering us on. We waved but kept going. As we re-entered the park, I gripped mum's hand tight. With the huge stop clock in sight my feet seemed to feel heavy as though our speed had faltered. We had four minutes if we wanted to finish within sixty minutes. My feet were feeling like lead but I dragged them forwards step by step and after what seemed like forever we crossed the finish line after fifty eight minutes and forty three seconds of walking. The look of ecstasy and pride on my face were immediately apparent as I pulled mum into a hug and kissed her on both cheeks. “Well done,” I said into her ear as we were given our medals.
“Well done you,” she replied, grinning. We were loving the sense of achievement of what we had just done. This short journey was at its end but the one of positivity and enjoyment was just beginning. After this past hour I finally believed in the future I had ahead of me.
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