Fundraise Your Way: Yoga Retreat
Jo lives near Preston, Lancashire, with her husband Jonathan, her daughter Alice, son Isaac, her two Giant Schnauzers, MiMi and Jack and also her cat, Yogi-Bean. Jo is fundraising her way this April by holding a half day yoga retreat to support her husband, who was diagnosed with bowel cancer at the age of 49.
Jo speaks to us about why she’s fundraising her way this April:
“On Good Friday, 19 April 2019 I am running a Half Day Yoga Retreat at Ribby Hall in support of Bowel Cancer Awareness Month to raise awareness of bowel cancer symptoms and support my husband Jonathan.
In 2016 Jonathan began to lose blood whilst going to the toilet, combined with a little pain, so he went to see his GP and was diagnosed with hemorrhoids. Time passed and his symptoms didn’t improve, Jonathan went back to see his GP and was again given an ointment. Jonathan’s symptoms were still no better and I was increasingly getting concerned. My instinct was that this was not hemorrhoids. I kept sharing my concern with Jonathan - we had met at school, had a house and children since 1990, so I wasn’t a stranger. My concern was not necessary, he told me and that I was nagging him.
In the summer of 2017 Jonathan went back to the doctors, by this time admitting that he actually was feeling very tired and a little unwell. No concerns were raised at the GP’s and although he was given a referral to see a consultant gynecologist, he was also told that because he was under 50 years old, had no history of cancer in his family and was not in any real pain, he was not eligible to be fast tracked.
October arrived and Jonathan went to his appointment and was immediately told that this was not hemorrhoids. A colonoscopy discovered a large rectal tumour and swollen lymph-nodes. We were sent to see another consultant who told us that Jonathan may need to have his lower bowel removed, have a stoma and that he needed to come to surgery so that a closer look could be made. The tumour was on a small stalk, and the wonderful consultant was able to remove it and send it away for testing.
In January 2019 two more polyps were discovered and removed, they were found not to contain cancer which was such a relief. We are very aware that it is essential that you respond to any symptoms that may relate to bowel cancer.
One of the reasons Jonathan accepted his GP’s diagnosis was that between work pressure, our daughter’s wedding, our son heading to university and just business that came with the normal day to day, he didn’t have the time to go to the doctor.
All proceeds of this Half Day Yoga Retreat are for Bowel Cancer UK. Ribby Hall have very kindly allowed me to use their Fabulous Studio 4 for this event which is being held on Friday 19 April, 12 noon till 3pm. Beginners to Advanced are welcome.
The cost for Yoga Retreat is £25. You can book by emailing joeastham@btinternet.com to confirm you place.
Click here to read Jo’s JustGiving Page
Fundraise Your Way this Bowel Cancer Awareness Month
Jo is helping to fundraise towards a future where nobody dies of bowel cancer. You can too by having a quiz night, hosting a coffee morning or by getting inspired from our A-Z of fundraising ideas.
Whatever you decide to do this April, we want you to be part of Bowel Cancer Awareness Month and raise funds to support our vital services and lifesaving research.
