Support My Ride to Conquer Cancer?

Welcome to my Personal Page! The Sunsuper Ride to Conquer Cancer benefiting the Western Australian Institute for Medical Research (WAIMR), is a 200km cycling journey throughout the countryside of Western Australia that I?m embarking on to fight cancer. It will be a challenge in a number of ways, but with my bike, my helmet, and your generosity, a real impact will be made!

I have taken up this challenge in honour of my late brother who died of Squamous Cell Carcinoma (skin cancer) at the very young age of 44. 

My brother, Steve, had been fit and healthy all his life, and then one day he developed an ulcer on his tongue.  Like most blokes, he didn?t think much of it.  A few months passed, the ulcer was still there and starting to affect his eating so he decided to get the ulcer checked out.  A biopsy was taken which came back malignant.  Steve subsequently had surgery to remove a small portion of his tongue.  This had an impact on his speech for several months, but within 12 months he appeared to have his speech back.  It was about this time that Steve noticed a lump on the back of his neck.  Immediately, Steve went for surgery.  This time, the surgeon had to cut through his neck and shoulder to remove a tumour that had developed on his neck.  The second round of surgery was a lot more invasive than the first and so was Steve?s wound ? he was not a pretty sight - his neck and shoulder were held together with about 50 staples.  Never one to complain, he put on a brave face and pretended that nothing had happened.  Following the surgery, Steve was meant to have radiotherapy, but it was too painful for him to lie flat on his back for any length of time so he never had the treatment.  Steve spent a further five months in an enormous amount of pain and lost around 20 kgs in weight because he couldn?t eat.  Steve was eventually hospitalised and passed away three weeks later. 

As a result of Steve?s death, I have my skin checked annually by a dermatologist and I would encourage you all to get your skin checked regularly.   I had never heard of Squamous Cell Carcinoma until Steve was diagnosed with it.  Did you know:-  

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC):

• account for about one-third of skin cancers
• can grow quickly over several months
• are usually scaly red areas that may bleed, ulcers or non-healing sores that may be painful
• appear on skin most often exposed to the sun
• tend to occur from the age of 40 onwards, incident rates increase with age
• on the lips and ears have a high risk of spreading
• are not as dangerous as melanoma, but they can spread to other parts of the body if left untreated. If you are concerned about a spot that won't heal see your GP immediately.

For more information visit http://www.cancer.org.au/home.htm

In order to participate in the ride, I must raise a minimum of $2,500. I am asking for your support by way of a $50 donation to allow me the privilage to ride in this history-making event.  Funds raised in The Sunsuper Ride to Conquer Cancer will support groundbreaking, critical cancer research being undertaken at the Western Australian Institute for Medical Research, Western Australia?s premier adult medical research institute, investigating the genetic and environmental causes of a range of diseases.


Thank you in advance for your help.

Debbie McPhee