Tonight, when I am safely tucked up in bed and, hopefully, fast asleep, the Dear Daughter and two of her closest friends are repeating something they last did five years ago. They're taking part in the Moonwalk London 2011, just three of the 15,000 who will be following the route of the capital's Marathon, to raise money for breast cancer causes. The London Moonwalk is just one of a year-round programme of national and international walks, marathons, marches and treks under the Walk the Walk umbrella.
You won't be surprised to hear that this means a great deal to me after last year's Massive Inconvenience but, sadly, since they last completed the Moonwalk, too many of their loved ones have also been diagnosed with breast or other cancers.
The money raised - and the Moonwalk raises squillions - goes in grants to charities like Breakthrough Breast Cancer, Breast Cancer Haven and Penny Brohn Cancer Care, as well as specialist hospital departments like the complementary therapy unit at The Christie, Manchester. And it helps to provide pioneering equipment like scalp coolers that make such a difference to patients undergoing chemotherapy.
So my daughter and her chums are walking for women and others like me, who have been given a diagnosis that nobody wants. I have personal reasons to be grateful to Penny Brohn Cancer Centre and Breast Cancer Haven but every cancer patient will have their own thoughts and memories about information, services and support that made a significant and positive difference before, during and after their treatment for cancer.
Above all, as those of you reading this who were around at the time will recall, I am enormously grateful to my daughter for taking such good care of me and helping me to stay strong, positive, and focused on recovery. Her chums were right alongside too. They're a tight team, have known each other for years, and my daughter is godmother to two of their daughters.
To be honest, although I said I'd be asleep, I'll probably be on mum-alert during the night, not least because my daughter lives with a rare and chronic medical condition that makes many aspects of her life extraordinarily complicated - things that most of us just take for granted, like sunshine and using a swimming pool. I'll breathe a little more easily when I know they've crossed the finishing line.
'Don't worry mum,' she reassured me, ' 'we'll be walking by moonlight so I'll be fine.'
OK then . . . and I hope she remembers her EpiPen which she has to carry at all times. Just in case.
The good news is that my daughter and her friends have already achieved something like 150% of their fundraising target before they take one step - and I know that friends and family members have been extremely generous. An enormous thank you from the team and from all the people like me, whom they are helping tonight.
Here's something funky and musically appropriate to spur them on. Who else but Wilson Pickett? What else but In the Midnight Hour?
Sending them the best of wishes - it is already the next morning here so, whilst you are asleep, I will be thinking of them and wishing them well as they walk.
Posted by: Friend In New Zealand | May 14, 2011 at 08:54 PM
Good for them. I hope they had a brilliant time and are not too worn out now!
Posted by: Dancing Beastie | May 16, 2011 at 12:07 PM
How very touching, amazing and inspiring...You go, girls!
Posted by: Teri and the cats of Curlz and Swirlz | May 16, 2011 at 04:07 PM
What a lovely blog you have...I hope your daughter and her friends had fun and crossed the line with a smile. I'm a new follower!
Posted by: Catherine Robinson | May 22, 2011 at 05:25 PM