You'll Never Walk Alone

When you walk through the storm

Hold your head up high

And don't be afraid of the dark

At the end of the storm

There's a golden sky

And the sweet silver song of the lark

In December last year a very good friend and colleague was diagnosed with bowel cancer. She had been visiting the doctor for over a year with symptoms and had some difficulty being taken seriously - she is young, female, isn't overweight, doesn't smoke or drink to excess. She didn't fit the profile. 

Cancer didn't care. Cancer doesn't care. 

Cancer, as the well worn statistics tell us, will do that to 1 in 3 of us. It's common, it's pervasive. And yet when it sweeps into your life - turning plans on their head, challenging your view of the world, making you second guess your lifestyle choices and curse your bad luck - you can feel really, really alone. 

So when Fran's diagnosis came last year her friends and colleagues wanted to do something to show her that she wasn't alone. We can't do the tough part. The surgery, the chemo, the pain and frustration and slog that is fighting the toughest fight one person may ever have to fight. But we can show her that she isn't walking through this storm alone.

Our way of doing that was to sign up for this: www.grandunionchallenge.com One hundred kilometres from London to Milton Keynes along the Grand Union Canal. Non stop. On foot. For 24 hours. 

At the time, I saw some vague, tangential link between the original logistics infrastructure of the UK that is the Grand Union Canal and the logistics industry that introduced me to Fran and that makes up our 9 to 5 (and the rest!). Now, the symbolism is much clearer. We are walking a very, very, very long way because the process of taking on an ultra endurance challenge way outside our comfort zone is our way of saying "You won't walk this alone". 

The walk takes place in just under 6 weeks. I'll post (between walks and training and bathing my feet in epsom salts) about each of the team, our progress, Fran's progress and other musings. If only because it will give me an opportunity to ask people to sponsor us here:

https://www.justgiving.com/FransChallenge

Please do. It can be your way of walking with us and showing your solidarity for Fran, and all the other 1 in 3's.

Thank you.