Marching on.

You don’t need me to tell you how much The Royal Marsden hospital has meant to me over the past few years. You don’t need me to tell you about the excellence of its staff, the brilliance of its services or how it’s second to none when it comes to innovation in cancer care.

You don’t need me to tell you that my medical team have thrown everything – both physical and psychological – at my treatment. You don’t need me to tell you that they care about its success every bit as much as I do. You don’t need me to tell you that they see me not just as a hospital number but as an individual, with a distinct – often unashamedly daft – character that leads me to do all manner of goofy things (swearing, hugging, blushing, stuttering) in front of them.

More importantly, though, you don’t need me to tell you that, without The Royal Marsden hospital, I might not still be here.

In the hope that you’re pleased that I’m still here, then, I’m pointing you somewhat vehemently (okay, I’m grabbing you by the wrist and yanking you so fast your feet won’t touch the ground) towards this link: a sponsorship page through which I’m raising money for the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity. Go on, click it. It won’t bite. (Although I might if you don’t.)

In light of the above, you also don’t need me to tell you why I’m participating in the 14-mile Marsden March (in a pimped-up wheelchair) this Sunday. (And if you do, you can find out further details here, alongside a lovely gooey picture of me and my P.) What you might need me to tell you, however, is why 42 other people have given up their Sunday to join ‘Lisa’s Lovelies’ and do the same. And my answer to that is perfectly simple: because they’re wonderful – but also because, given that they’re my friends and family, they’re pretty pleased that I’m still here too.

What’s frustrating for all of us, though, is the absence of practical things we can do in order to help me stick around as long as we’d all like. Hence, when an opportunity such as the Marsden March presents itself, suddenly there’s something helpful; something positive; something useful with which we can roll up our sleeves and get involved. Granted, it may not be sponsored surgery or a sponsored therapy session or a sponsored chemo-line hook-up, but it’s as good an opportunity as we’ve got to raise as much money as we’re able for those who can do the practical, keeping-me-around stuff.

All of this, then, is my somewhat long-winded way of asking you, oh so kindly (your hair looks amazing today, by the way) if you’d be so good as to sponsor us. Please? 

It doesn’t have to be much (though if you’re feeling especially generous, we shan’t say no) and it doesn’t have to have your signature against it (though if you’d rather not remain anonymous, we’re sure the mere mention of your name will make you at least 28% more attractive to anyone reading) – in fact it can appear in whatever form you ruddy well like. It’s your money, after all… all I can do is assure you that it’s going towards a cause that couldn’t possibly mean more to me. 

All that said, however, I do appreciate that many of you might never even have heard of the Royal Marsden or the work it does – in which case, how’s about thinking of your sponsorship not as going towards an unfamiliar hospital, but instead as doing your bit to keep this blog – and the lass who writes it – alive.

Click here to sponsor Lisa’s Lovelies on this Sunday’s Marsden March: a 14-mile walk between the hospital’s sites in Chelsea and Sutton. 

Check back here next week for photos and stories from the event.