This site supports Christine Madden in her fundraising for Ovarian Cancer Action
Mission accomplished!
I cycled up Alpe d’Huez on Friday 12th August. Looking back down at the route, I could not quite believe that I had successfully achieved what at one stage seemed an impossible goal. Emma and Richard with our friends Meabh and Ian drove up to offer support. They were at the top waiting with the yellow jersey! On some of the steepest sections, I just kept thinking of all the wonderful messages I have received over the past few months and would like to thank everybody for their generous donations. Despite it being a tough challenge, I recovered quickly and it feels like a personal triumph over such great adversity!
Alpe d'Huez Challenge - August 2016
I have almost totally recovered but still have nerve damage in my right leg. However, to raise money for Ovarian Cancer Action I have decided this summer to tackle Alpe d’Huez, a 14k extreme category climb in the Tour de France. Photo on Home Page.Each of the 21 hairpin bends is numbered and named after a stage winner (not that helpful psychologically). I have difficulty riding ‘out of the saddle’ due to the nerve damage and am a long way from my old fitness levels – but I will do it!
My story
I was diagnosed with stage 4 ovarian cancer in August 2013 whilst on holiday in France. Earlier in the year I had an ultrasound scan after complaining of stomach pains but diagnosis of ovarian cancer is very difficult. I had been cycling and playing tennis for several weeks but had problems with bloating and following an episode when I was doubled up in pain visited a GP and was admitted to A&E in Villefranche-de-Rouergue. They were absolutely excellent: I had three ultrasounds, a CT scan, a laparoscopy and a portacath inserted during the GA all within 48 hours of admission. The surgeon himself broke the news and was willing to operate immediately dependent upon the results from the scans. Had this been the case I probably would have stayed in France for the operation but when the extent of the spread of the cancer became obvious, his MDT colleagues suggested I should have 9 weeks of chemo under the wonderful and caring oncologist Dr Awwad in Shrewsbury but this failed to shrink the tumours. The surgeon in Stoke-on-Trent was of the opinion that the operation was too problematic and that I should undergo another 9 weeks of chemo. Fortunately one of my daughter's colleagues knew Dr Sarah Blagden so after a look at my CT scan I was operated on immediately by Professor Christina Fotopoulou in early December 2013. She is a magician and removed all the tumours. I definitely feel that I owe my life to her and my family and friends actually call her Saint Christina!
Unfortunately during the post-op round of chemo in February 2014 I contracted C Difficile and double pneumonia which in my weakened state became life threatening: on two separate occasions the consultant in charge warned my nearest and dearest that I probably would not survive the night. I had two weeks in intensive care and then spent a further 9 weeks in the RSH in Shrewsbury and was dis-charged mid April with an NG tube for feeding because I had and still have an oesophagel stricture. I lived on soup and ice cream for a total of 9 months and had the tube removed in November 2014. For people who know me they realise what this meant to me because I really love my food!
I am now recovering well: I started cycling again in March 2015 for 4 weeks but in early April had to have a complicated one hour operation to remove a bunion, straighten two hammered toes with pins and treat a neuroma. I started to cycle again afterwards but it was very difficult when I first tried because I have numbness in my right leg from the knee upwards due to the radical ovarian cancer surgery and with the bunion on my left food I didn't have a leg to stand on!
In August 2015 in France I cycled to and from Cajarc to Saint-Cirq-Lapopie which is approximately 40k. This event raised approximately £2,500. My biggest challenge will be later this year when I intend to tackle either of two legendary Tour de France climbs, i.e. Mont Ventoux or Alpe d'Huez. It is difficult to believe that in February 2014 after leaving intensive care it took me all my strength simply to sit upon the edge of a hospital bed.
Professor Christina is one of the scientists involved in Ovarian Cancer Action which is the UK's leading ovarian cancer charity. Their focus is to improve the prognosis of all women diagnosed with ovarian cancer through fund raising and research. They aim to transform ovarian cancer treatment and improve prognosis and survival through creating a research environment that encourages scientific breakthrough. They continue to fund the UK's first research centre dedicated solely to ovarian cancer.
I will mainly be doing cycling events to raise money to help fund research at the Ovarian Cancer Action Research Centre, so that the research can hopefully, in the not too distant future, come up with treatment which makes living with the disease easier and leaves a better prognosis and swurvival rate. I am sure this isn't too far away!!
Please help me with my fundraising... or even set up your own direct debit to Ovarian Cancer Action. Some of my friends have suggested they will pass on the link to colleagues, family and friends to extend the quantity of people who may know people in a similar situation and may be willing to donate or sponsor me on my various cycling challenges. Thank you!! Chris xx
Please watch this film: http://www.ovarian.org.uk/what-we-do/our-research-centre/ovarian-cancer-action-research-centre/
I cycled up Alpe d’Huez on Friday 12th August. Looking back down at the route, I could not quite believe that I had successfully achieved what at one stage seemed an impossible goal. Emma and Richard with our friends Meabh and Ian drove up to offer support. They were at the top waiting with the yellow jersey! On some of the steepest sections, I just kept thinking of all the wonderful messages I have received over the past few months and would like to thank everybody for their generous donations. Despite it being a tough challenge, I recovered quickly and it feels like a personal triumph over such great adversity!
Alpe d'Huez Challenge - August 2016
I have almost totally recovered but still have nerve damage in my right leg. However, to raise money for Ovarian Cancer Action I have decided this summer to tackle Alpe d’Huez, a 14k extreme category climb in the Tour de France. Photo on Home Page.Each of the 21 hairpin bends is numbered and named after a stage winner (not that helpful psychologically). I have difficulty riding ‘out of the saddle’ due to the nerve damage and am a long way from my old fitness levels – but I will do it!
My story
I was diagnosed with stage 4 ovarian cancer in August 2013 whilst on holiday in France. Earlier in the year I had an ultrasound scan after complaining of stomach pains but diagnosis of ovarian cancer is very difficult. I had been cycling and playing tennis for several weeks but had problems with bloating and following an episode when I was doubled up in pain visited a GP and was admitted to A&E in Villefranche-de-Rouergue. They were absolutely excellent: I had three ultrasounds, a CT scan, a laparoscopy and a portacath inserted during the GA all within 48 hours of admission. The surgeon himself broke the news and was willing to operate immediately dependent upon the results from the scans. Had this been the case I probably would have stayed in France for the operation but when the extent of the spread of the cancer became obvious, his MDT colleagues suggested I should have 9 weeks of chemo under the wonderful and caring oncologist Dr Awwad in Shrewsbury but this failed to shrink the tumours. The surgeon in Stoke-on-Trent was of the opinion that the operation was too problematic and that I should undergo another 9 weeks of chemo. Fortunately one of my daughter's colleagues knew Dr Sarah Blagden so after a look at my CT scan I was operated on immediately by Professor Christina Fotopoulou in early December 2013. She is a magician and removed all the tumours. I definitely feel that I owe my life to her and my family and friends actually call her Saint Christina!
Unfortunately during the post-op round of chemo in February 2014 I contracted C Difficile and double pneumonia which in my weakened state became life threatening: on two separate occasions the consultant in charge warned my nearest and dearest that I probably would not survive the night. I had two weeks in intensive care and then spent a further 9 weeks in the RSH in Shrewsbury and was dis-charged mid April with an NG tube for feeding because I had and still have an oesophagel stricture. I lived on soup and ice cream for a total of 9 months and had the tube removed in November 2014. For people who know me they realise what this meant to me because I really love my food!
I am now recovering well: I started cycling again in March 2015 for 4 weeks but in early April had to have a complicated one hour operation to remove a bunion, straighten two hammered toes with pins and treat a neuroma. I started to cycle again afterwards but it was very difficult when I first tried because I have numbness in my right leg from the knee upwards due to the radical ovarian cancer surgery and with the bunion on my left food I didn't have a leg to stand on!
In August 2015 in France I cycled to and from Cajarc to Saint-Cirq-Lapopie which is approximately 40k. This event raised approximately £2,500. My biggest challenge will be later this year when I intend to tackle either of two legendary Tour de France climbs, i.e. Mont Ventoux or Alpe d'Huez. It is difficult to believe that in February 2014 after leaving intensive care it took me all my strength simply to sit upon the edge of a hospital bed.
Professor Christina is one of the scientists involved in Ovarian Cancer Action which is the UK's leading ovarian cancer charity. Their focus is to improve the prognosis of all women diagnosed with ovarian cancer through fund raising and research. They aim to transform ovarian cancer treatment and improve prognosis and survival through creating a research environment that encourages scientific breakthrough. They continue to fund the UK's first research centre dedicated solely to ovarian cancer.
I will mainly be doing cycling events to raise money to help fund research at the Ovarian Cancer Action Research Centre, so that the research can hopefully, in the not too distant future, come up with treatment which makes living with the disease easier and leaves a better prognosis and swurvival rate. I am sure this isn't too far away!!
Please help me with my fundraising... or even set up your own direct debit to Ovarian Cancer Action. Some of my friends have suggested they will pass on the link to colleagues, family and friends to extend the quantity of people who may know people in a similar situation and may be willing to donate or sponsor me on my various cycling challenges. Thank you!! Chris xx
Please watch this film: http://www.ovarian.org.uk/what-we-do/our-research-centre/ovarian-cancer-action-research-centre/
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