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<copyright>Copyright &#169; 2012 Barbara Dartnall</copyright>
<pubDate>Thu, 17 May 2012 07:30:56 +0100</pubDate>
<lastBuildDate>Thu, 17 May 2012 07:30:56 +0100</lastBuildDate>
<docs>http://blog.lblaw.co.uk/</docs>
<description>Lanyon Bowlder Solicitors blog.</description>
<link>http://blog.lblaw.co.uk/</link>
<title>Lanyon bowdler Blog feed</title>
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<title>Lanyon bowdler Blog feed</title>
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<link>http://blog.lblaw.co.uk/</link>
<description>Lanyon Bowlder Solicitors blog.</description>
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<webMaster>Barbara Dartnall</webMaster>
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<category>Legal</category>
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<title><![CDATA[Fantastic Total Funds Raised for Moonwalk Challenge]]></title>
<link>http://blog.lblaw.co.uk/fantastic-total-funds-raised-for-moonwalk-challenge-353/</link>
<description><![CDATA[
I recently received a letter regarding the Moonwalk London challenge I completed earlier in the year, thanking me for taking part.
They tell me that the funds raised by the Moonwalk London to date come to 5,763,700 (I raised 1,002.99 in sponsorship) and the total fundraising for this year is a staggering 8,252,538 million!  The money is still coming in, so they are confident it is going to be a good year!  
So, where does the money go? The ethos of Walk the Walk is to grant money to where they know it will really make a difference, not only to breast cancer research, but also to raise awareness about prevention, and support those who are suffering from cancer right now.
This year funds have been granted to numerous charities who do just that,  including setting up a Tissue Bank with Breast Cancer Campaign, helping Penny Brohn Cancer Care to not only offer their services for free but also to take them nationwide, The Haven have been able to continue their special care, and The Christie Hospital in Manchester has been able to expand its holistic support to patients.  
I feel very proud to have taken part in the Moonwalk event and it was a special time for me.  The training was extremely hard, however I loved the actual marathon and the comradeship  whilst London at night was something else! 
I would like to thank everyone for their generosity and support, as without it treatments and essentials for patients would be back in the dark ages.  
 
]]></description>
<category><![CDATA[Charity and Fundraising]]></category>
<pubDate>Thu, 29 Dec 2011 10:09:29 +0000</pubDate>
<guid>http://blog.lblaw.co.uk/fantastic-total-funds-raised-for-moonwalk-challenge-353/</guid>
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<item>
<title><![CDATA[Final Moonwalk Thanks]]></title>
<link>http://blog.lblaw.co.uk/final-moonwalk-thanks-315/</link>
<description><![CDATA[
I now have collected in all the money raised for my London Moonwalk for breast cancer. The total raised is 1002.99.  I would like to thank everyone for their kind generosity as without it, treatments and essentials for patients would be way back in the dark ages.   This was a special time for me. The training was hard going I'll admit it especially motivating myself through the winter months. However I loved the actual marathon, the comradeship and London at night was something else.   Anyway, I don't plan to do this again - it was a one off for me which is what has made it so special. So thank you all again and perhaps I can throw down the gauntlet to someone else at Lanyon Bowdler to take up the Moonwalk reins for 2012!!!  You'll find details on the Moonwalk web site. Registration will be September/October. 
]]></description>
<category><![CDATA[Charity and Fundraising]]></category>
<pubDate>Mon, 08 Aug 2011 12:13:09 +0100</pubDate>
<guid>http://blog.lblaw.co.uk/final-moonwalk-thanks-315/</guid>
</item>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[Moonwalk Success!]]></title>
<link>http://blog.lblaw.co.uk/moonwalk-success-292/</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Well - I did it !!! I always knew I would but am still amazed when I try and put 26.2 miles in perspective.  It's one heck of a long way but didn't seem it at the time.   My weekend started early on Friday morning when BBC Radio Shropshire came to see me at home again.  The interview was mainly about how my training had gone since our last chat, what I would be wearing and why I was doing the Moonwalk.  The interview was to be played on the breakfast show on Sunday morning. I then started my journey to London and stayed with my daughter and grand daughter in Coventry and had a very restful night and restful Saturday with them.  My diet that week was a gradual build up of carbs - pasta, rice and potatoes - no bread though.  I felt a bit blobby by Saturday.   The saw me off on the train to London and it was all very exciting indeed.  My sister in law who I was walking with, met me at Euston and we had a few strong coffees before we headed off to Hyde Park. Moonwalk City was amazing. The actual Pink Palace was the size of 2 football pitches in which 15,000 of us ate, sang, danced and were entertained by the likes of Katy Brand, Jennifer Saunders, Ruby Wax and others, and finally did our warming up exercises. It was a very emotional evening which culminated in everyone linking arms during a minute's silence for those who never made it because of breast cancer.  I was really choked and cried a few tears.   Everyone was so excited and many friends were made that night. Some walkers were actually recovering  from breast cancer and if they could do the walk, then I'm darn sure I would be able to do it. The Met Police gave us the all clear at 11.00pm and as I was in the first group to go (apparently we were the fastest group averaged out over our training period) we were called to the start and set of at 11.10pm.   

 

 So, to the start line.  Yes I had tears in my eyes again!!  I couldn't believed I actually arrived at the moment.  There was a steel band playing as we approached the start and everyone was dancing. Boy was it cold though.  The wind was biting but forecast to calm down to 5 degrees and a clear calm night.  It was too cold to walk in my bra and in fact there weren't too many that did.  I wore the Moonwalk T shire with two fleeces over the top, plus gloves. Off we went through Hyde Park.  The first thing I noticed was that I kept stumbling and felt as though I was toppling.  It had never occurred to me, and most other "virgin walkers" that power walking in pitch darkness is quite a dangerous thing.  Training was only done in daylight. So there were quite a few people being attended to by paramedics as they had tripped. One lady had fallen straight onto her face and she didn't look too good.   A few fallers on the way were sick, but overall, every one got their heads down and marched on. The sights were fantastic, I look loads of photographs a few of which were blurred but I kept snapping away.  London at night is stunning and the whole thing was quite surreal. On the one hand there were people coming out of the opera in ball gowns and tiaras and evening suits and on the other hand there were very young children playing under the underpasses alongside the Thames unsupervised at 3 in the morning.  It was all quite shocking at times.  We left Hyde Park and part of St James' Park then along Buckingham Palace's back garden and out on to the Mall. The Palace had all gone to bed, there were no lights on bar one tiny light on the top floor - who would that have been we wondered?  

 

Down The Mall, past Horse Guards Parade and past the Admiralty buildings, The Cenotaph, Downing Street, Commonwealth buildings and monuments - on and on. Everywhere we went, the London Eye which was lit up in blue, peeped out from various buildings.  We crossed Tower Bridge and then headed back along the Thames taking in the old dockside and then round  a corner was the Golden Hind which was absolutely stunning. We stumbled along the cobble stones there and you could really feel the history of centuries gone by.  We passed round Battersea park where there was a very heavy police presence.  There were apparently a few stalkers hiding in the bushes - eeeoooowww!!!!! On to Kensington and Chelsea. We passed the flats where Diana Spencer lived before she married Prince Charles and passed her front door where she was mobbed by the press every time she came and went.  There were parties in full swing at 5am in huge houses as we made our way through the streets.   I would say quiet streets if they were, but in fact there was traffic going all night long. The continuous noise was unbelievable however everyone was hooting us and cheering and even as we passed local fire brigades, they were out on the street cheering us on. We passed Chelsea Barracks and there was a Chelsea Pensioner standing on the street corner telling us he was very proud of us. Likewise we told him how proud we were of him too. 

 

 Daylight broke with a clear sky and sun coming up behind the Albert Memorial. it was stunning.  We eventually passed Westminster Abbey and made our way back along Horseguards Parade to the Mall - 25 miles had gone by when we reached Buckingham Palace again, and then ......... the finish line.  We were all elated and we received our medals.  I managed my walk in 8hrs 59 minutes and 36 seconds approximately what my target was.  I was very pleased indeed. 

 

 At 8.15 BBC Radio Shropshire called me and we had a chat live on the Breakfast show about how it had gone.  I was on cloud 9 but minded my "P's and Q's".  I haven't received the audio disc yet but I did make a point of thanking everyone including Lanyon Bowdler for the support, the marketing and donations live on air.  I hope someone (apart from a little old lady who lives at the top of our lane) heard it.  

 

As I expected, my hips were really painful for a few days but I didn't have any blisters and my knees were good afterwards.  I was also exhausted for a few days and am only now just feeling better and more awake. I have attached some photographs which I took along the way and I shall be making myself a scrap book of everything connected with my Moonwalk experience to keep as memento. As the donations stand at the moment, I have raised 320.00 on-line donations and haved counted and bagged up 417.99 in cash.  I know there is at least another 200.00 in pledges yet to come in.  The running total is 737.99. So with the other 200.00 approx, that should bring me almost to 1000.00 raised for breast cancer charities.  Double my target.  I am hoping that if I fall just short of 1000.00 a very generous person/people will top it up.  Failing which, Howard my husband said he will top it up to a nice round figure.  That would be just amazing. Once I have collected all the money in, I will let you know the final total. Well - that's 8 months of my life that was taken over by the Moonwalk.  I do plan  to keep walking to maintain some fitness. It's good way to exercise without doing any harm. Thank you once again for your generosity and support.
]]></description>
<category><![CDATA[Charity and Fundraising]]></category>
<pubDate>Mon, 23 May 2011 09:41:01 +0100</pubDate>
<guid>http://blog.lblaw.co.uk/moonwalk-success-292/</guid>
</item>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[The Week of the Moonwalk - I'm Ready!]]></title>
<link>http://blog.lblaw.co.uk/the-week-of-the-moonwalk-im-ready-285/</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Well the training is complete, and the struggle with abstenance from eating chocolate, cakes, having the odd tipple of gin and tonic and all things delicious is almost over.  There have been so many birthdays at the office every one of which I've declined a cake.  Thank you to those thoughtful colleagues who brought  fruit instead. I took advantage of the long stretch of bank holidays and extra time off to do several 8 mile walks, a 10 mile walk plus a 15 mile walk and yesterday (Saturday), after doing 18.2 miles in the rain, just about managed to squeeze up to 20 miles in soaking clothes.  Boy was I cold, tired and aching. After I hobbled home and after a lovely hot bath, I tucked into bacon eggs mushrooms and beans on toast, which at the time, was the best meal I'd ever eaten.   So - this is it.  I would be lying if I said I wasn't nervous. At least I feel confident now that if i can do 20 miles - what's another 6.2? BBC Radio Shropshire are visiting me at home on Friday morning for a catch up interview which will be broadcast on the breakfast show on Sunday morning.  They will be telephoning me during the night to track my progress and then a live broadcast as I cross the finish line at about 8.30 - 9.00am I'm hoping. On Friday afternoon I'll be heading off to London and resting up on Saturday before arriving at Moonwalk in City in Hyde Park for 7pm.  The MC for the night during the party, the meal and warm up is the comedienne Katy Brand amongst other well known acts. Should be a fun  night and a fantastic atmosphere.  I'll be taking photographs throughout the night for my post Moonwalk blog. We're told to look out for quite a few famous faces who will be taking part. Should be a fun night apart from the serious reasons behind taking part. I'll be thinking of my family members who were all struck down with breast cancer especially Dad, knowing that every penny that I've raised towards this amazing charity will help brave sufferers in the future to bear their illness and treatment with dignity.  What a great way to raise money and awareness.  What's the pain of 26.2 miles when compared to suffering with cancer? I have well exceeded my target of 500.00 and in fact I'm hopeful to have raised over 700.00.  You can still donate on my fund raising webset below. Any cheques or postal orders should be made payable to Walk the Walk Worldwide. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their support and donations and will report back with pictures on my return.In the meantime, I have now received up to date information from Walk the Walk as to where the money raised is being spent. Whilst money has been coming in  a lot has been going out.  Some large grants have been made to charities such as Penny Brohn Cancer Care who were able to announce this year that their services would now be completely free thanks to donations.  To Breakthrough Breast Cancer where a grant of over 2 million will contribute to the wonderful work that Alan Ashworth and his team do at the Research Centre. Walk the Walk will be the principal funder of the new Maggies Centre which offers emotional support and is being built right now at the Gartnaval Hospital in Glasgow. Meanwhile The Breast Cancer Institute at the Weston General  - Ward 6 was finally opened in April this year. Breast Cancer Haven in London received a grant from Walk the Walk for the first time towards their integrated and complimentary care.  On the same note Christie's Hospital in Manchester received a grant to support and develop their Centre of Excellence for Complimentary Care which is such an important part of treatment.  A small charity called FACT in the North East received a grant of 10,000 to enable them to go out and speak to women about reconstructive surgery which is so very important.Walk the Walks own project of placing Scalp Coolers, which help to prevent hair loss during chemotherapy, is growing daily as they are proving to be so successful. They have now placed 225 machines in 72 hospitals throughout the UK. More grants will be made before the end of the year.Walk the Walk is a charity not only committed to raising money and awareness for vital breast cancer causes but are also passionate about encouraging women and men to become healthier, fitter and to take charge of their own well being. Being a grant-making charity is their goal that each year they grant as much of their fundraising as possible, making sure that it is put to the best use and where they feel it really will make a difference.  Breast cancer is a major public health issue, and whilst statistics show that the mortality rate is decreasing, the incidences of disease are continuing to rise. The funds so far granted have extended our knowledge of breast cancer and enabled better treatments and understanding of this horrendous disease. All of these wonderful projects would be unthinkable with your help from money raised towards all of the challenges through sponsorship.   
]]></description>
<category><![CDATA[Charity and Fundraising]]></category>
<pubDate>Mon, 09 May 2011 09:53:26 +0100</pubDate>
<guid>http://blog.lblaw.co.uk/the-week-of-the-moonwalk-im-ready-285/</guid>
</item>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[Moonwalk Training - 5 Weeks to Go!]]></title>
<link>http://blog.lblaw.co.uk/moonwalk-training-5-weeks-to-go-282/</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Well - 5 weeks to go and this is my penultimate blog before the big night.  
Apart from yet another heavy cough and cold and losing my voice, training is going well. We are expected to do 20 miles by the end of April.  I completed 15 miles yesterday setting off from home at 9.30am.  Trekking over Bury Ditches down into Clunton, on to Clun and then back through Colebatch into Bishops Castle, arriving back at home at 2.00pm.  

 
I had a 20 minute break when my husband had to meet me on an emergency "plaster" run.  I wear a bum bag to carry essentials but up until now, haven't needed any plasters.  Looks like I'll have to plaster all of my toes up for the Moonwalk.  He also needed to top me up with water as it was very hot during the last part of the walk.  I'll have to set off earlier next week if the weather is still as warm as this.  On the Moonwalk itself, fruit and water is provided at feeding stations every three miles.  I'll be counting down!!

  
    
      
         
         
      
    
  

 Well I am very excited to say that I have now received my official Moonwalk pack and my walker's number is Yellow 7825.  Also my t-shirt with a pink sparkly bra printed on the front, my pink peaked cap which has silver stars on it, bag label and bra, oh - and a booklet on how to walk it will follow!!!.  My husband has also bought me a snuggly pink fleece jacket as it will get cold during the night.  Wearing the peak cap is essential or you don't get fed and watered. As the theme is "walk on the wild side", I have decided to wear tiger print.  I will cover my bra with tiger print material with black feathers and stitching a stripe of it down the outside seams of my leggings.  We are advised not to overdo it so as not to let it interfere with our walking.  Bum bags are recommended and not ruck sacks as they rub. So, I'm ready for the off except - I'm in agony today.  I feel as though I've spent the last 24 hours on horseback as I'm walking like John Wayne.  My hips ache really badly. Freeze sprays, knee supports and paracetamol are doing the trick!!  However, I feel more confident that I'll get through it now that I've completed 15 miles.  No matter how near or far I decide my target mileage should be, I do it.  So on the night, I know it'll be nothing less than 26.2 miles. Also, I am delighted to say that I have exceeded my target of 500 and heading very close to 600.  Thank you once again to everyone who will/has sponsored me.  This is keeping me going. On the 12th of April I will be holding my final fund raising eat-in for my Ludlow colleagues (and anyone else from our other offices who may be visiting that day).  This time, I have planned a lunch rather than a cake/chocolate/any naughties-you-care-to mention binge.  There'll be a choice of bacon rolls, home made Jamie Oliver's tomato and basil soup, home made macaroni cheese, home made quiche, hot cross buns as we're close to Easter and no doubt many other delights and cakes perhaps.  Pictures to follow in my pre-Moonwalk blog.  I'm still not eating choclate during lent so I may top off my fund raising after the Moonwalk with a "how much chocolate cake can I eat in one go" binge.  Maybe not!! Since my last blog, we have had a holiday in Cornwall. We stayed in Mevagissy and the weather was superb so it made for good walking on all the little beaches we could find.  

My final long training walk will be during the week between Easter and May bank holiday when my sister in law, who's walking the Moonwalk with me, will be coming to stay and we'll be doing our final training together.  If I haven't heard from BBC Radio Shropshire by then, I may contact them to invite them to catch us up en-route. Anyway, I'll carrying on walking and write my pre Moonwalk blog before I go off to London on 13th May.]]></description>
<category><![CDATA[Charity and Fundraising]]></category>
<pubDate>Mon, 11 Apr 2011 10:57:31 +0100</pubDate>
<guid>http://blog.lblaw.co.uk/moonwalk-training-5-weeks-to-go-282/</guid>
</item>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[The Moonwalk Training Continues - 10 Weeks To Go!]]></title>
<link>http://blog.lblaw.co.uk/the-moonwalk-training-continues-10-weeks-to-go-274/</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Well the training is going well.  Ive not really lost much weight but all the wobbly bits arent very wobbly anymore which is good!!  I have been trying to make an effort by parking on the outskirts of Ludlow in the morning and walking up to the office which is almost 3 miles and then back to the car again after work. It makes it a long day and very tiring.  I have been through a spell of thinking Im not going to make this. My knees are giving me plenty of problems so Ive got to set some knee supports as well as taking glucosamine and condroitin for my joints.  I know come the day (or should I say  night) that the atmosphere and sheer determination will get me through.  
BBC Radio Shropshire said they will walk with me again nearer the time and I plan to do my last long training walk around Easter time.  I plan to walk from Bishops Castle to Pontesbury where I hope Karena Harris will be waiting for me with a cuppa and may be a little treat from Hignets? That walk is approximately 15 miles which should stand me in good stead for the Moonwalk itself.  Also Walk the Walk Charity themselves have been in touch with me as they are interested in my male breast cancer awareness as they havent looked at this side of things before.  Im expecting to hear from them shortly regarding an interview.
I am also planning one final sponsored office foodfest for Tuesday 19th April.  Again, Im hoping everyone will bring some goodies in for consumption and raise ever more vital cash for this great cause. Rather than lots of naughty cakes and sweet things, we are going to have a savoury lunch.  Ill be making Jamie Olivers tomato and basil soup with some home made focaccia bread. Ill also be bringing in hot cross buns.  Sarah Traylor will be bringing in her spectacular macaroni cheese and Im hoping that Fi Maddox will bring in her mums delicious quiche.  Any cakes will also be VERY welcome.  So we(probably not me!!) intend to feast.
Talking of feast and the fact that its the first day of Lent this week, I plan to give up chocolate for lent as part of my training regime. This will probably be harder for me than the 26.2 miles.  Im a total chocoholic and once Ive completed the Moonwalk, I shall probably be having a sponsored binge.
On a more sad note, my beautiful white Collie Bracken now has terminal cancer and so isnt training with me any more.  Hes fine at the moment but I dont want to stress him out unnecessarily, so Howard and I are off to Cornwall on Saturday for a week with the dogs.  I will still get my walks in and the dogs will have lots of fun.  (I must try and keep off the Cornish pasties and cider though).  
Watch this space for more pictures and my next blog and my decision about what Ill be wearing  10 weeks to go!]]></description>
<category><![CDATA[Charity and Fundraising]]></category>
<pubDate>Tue, 08 Mar 2011 17:14:06 +0000</pubDate>
<guid>http://blog.lblaw.co.uk/the-moonwalk-training-continues-10-weeks-to-go-274/</guid>
</item>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[Charity Cake Bake - Fundraising Success!]]></title>
<link>http://blog.lblaw.co.uk/charity-cake-bake-fundraising-success-252/</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Well firstly, I would like to say a huge thank you to those at the Lanyon Bowdler Ludlow office who dug deep into their pockets and raised a fantastic 60 by eating my home made cakes on 16th December.  I have now added that to my running total of donations which at the moment stands at 135.00.  My target is 500.  If I can take the stress, I hope to have another cake bake in early spring!! Walk the Walk uses the money they raise in different ways to help those with cancer by trying to make their lives more bearable if that's possible.  Hair loss due to chemotherapy affects different people in some surprisingly different ways. For some women with breast cancer, losing their crowning glory is one of the most horrifying aspects of the disease  worse, even, than the surgical removal of a breast. Other women view hair loss as a minor consideration in relation to all the other traumas that need to be faced following a breast cancer diagnosis. Some organize head-shaving parties before their chemo even starts, saying it gives them a sense of empowerment at a time when their lives seem out of control.   
Theres been some degree of success with whats known as the cold cap, or ice cap, which can help prevent total hair loss if used at the time chemo is administered. It works by cooling the cells of the hair root and restricting the flow of blood to them so these cells are less likely to be affected by the toxic drugs.
But it doesnt work for all patients and some say the unpleasantness of the ice-cold cap on their scalps is worse than any other aspect of their chemo. Use of the cap also has the drawback of prolonging your stay in hospital (normally by at least a couple of hours).  
As I mentioned in my last blog, my father had breast cancer and had a mastectomy. Taking part in this Moonwalk has made me think about the lack of awareness of breast cancer in men and I wish to highlight this as part of my fund raising efforts.  
Breast cancer in men is something most people have never even heard of. The reason why men have breasts in the first place is a mystery to most of us and the fact that they can contract a disease commonly viewed as strictly for women comes as something of a shock.
But breast cancer can and does occur in men. Its relatively rare (only about one per cent of cases involve men) and the widespread ignorance about it makes it particularly dangerous. As most men and their wives or girlfriends dont even know the disease exists, male breast cancer is likely to go undetected in its early stages. After all, self-examination, routine mammography and investigative lumpectomy are not familiar terms for your average male.
This means men are far more likely to ignore symptoms than women and many go for months or even years without seeking medical advice. And whats even more alarming is that many members of the medical profession lack sufficient knowledge of the disease and fail to order the relevant tests when a male patient first complains of breast abnormalities.
Added to this frightening level of ignorance is the perception amongst men that breast cancer is a womans thing and that theres something rather unmanly about a male contracting a disease associated with pink ribbons. All of which makes it more likely that a man will fail to seek advice in the early stages.
But its a fact that the number of male cases has risen sharply in recent years and hundreds of men die each year from the disease simply because of a delay in diagnosis and treatment.
As with women, the survival rate among men is extremely good if the disease is detected and treated early enough. Thats why its so important to spread the word  men need to know they can contract this disease, they need to overcome any embarrassment they may feel about it and they need to know what the symptoms are.
The most common symptoms include a lump beneath the nipple (usually painless), a discharge from the nipple (sometimes bloody) or an inversion of the nipple. Redness or puckering of the skin around the nipple and breast area are other signs to look out for. The important thing is to be aware of your own body and if youre at all worried about any abnormality seek immediate medical advice. Treatment options are much the same as they are for women. Most cancerous lumps are removed by surgery which may be followed by one or more therapies- chemotherapy radiation or hormone therapy - depending on the stage and aggressiveness of the cancer. My father survived all of this AND bowel cancer.
Risk factors associated with male breast cancer include:
Age - the average age for men to contract the disease is 65. Family history - men with one or more close female or male relatives who have suffered from the disease are at higher risk. Obesity - some studies have linked breast cancer in men to obesity. Fat tissue produces the female sex hormone oestrogen (estrogen) which in turn can feed cancer cells. Of course in my family's case - it's genetic.
Thank you for taking the time to read this.]]></description>
<category><![CDATA[Charity and Fundraising]]></category>
<pubDate>Fri, 31 Dec 2010 11:26:00 +0000</pubDate>
<guid>http://blog.lblaw.co.uk/charity-cake-bake-fundraising-success-252/</guid>
</item>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[Moonwalk Training Continues....]]></title>
<link>http://blog.lblaw.co.uk/moonwalk-training-continues-246/</link>
<description><![CDATA[
Well, the last few weeks haven't gone according to plan.  I picked up a chill and so rested through the first week trying to shake it off and I felt like I did succeed.  I then decided to make the 7.5 mile walk as per the previous week. As I had kept out of the gym for the week I didn't want to pull a muscle.  I decided to multi task so I put my Christmas puds on to boil for their 8 hours (I did plan to arrive home well before their cooking time was up!!!). I arrived home at base camp a couple of hours later but my husband had to come and rescue the dogs. They are knocking on a bit now and prefer softer ground rather than road walking.  Trouble is, I now can't put on my trainers without the dogs waiting at the door to go and I don't have the heart to leave them behind.  Anyway I was very good and let him drive the dogs away without taking me too!!

So, the next day back at work the coughing commenced.  By Wednesday night I took to my bed with the heaviest cold and cough I've had in years.  I stayed there until Sunday when I took a stroll through woods to get some fresh air.  I've found this last week very difficult with the diet too.  Does the saying go "feed a cold and starve a fever"? - whichever it is, I've definitively been feeding too much.  This is not going to be easy for me.  All hail to those who run a marathon.  The willpower to be an all round good healthy egg is taking it's toll at the moment.
Anyway, a trip to Lanzarote may help to get my health back on track!!!  I'm not planning to do "Iron man" but the hotel has been deliberately booked at the top of a hill overlooking a harbour so exercise will play a good part (Howard doesn't know that bit yet)!! He's not a one for hill walking unless it's down to the pub!
 I've not been wasting time whilst staying in the warm.  I've started to read (and try and take in) a little about genetic diseases in the Askenazi Jewish race and finding it very interesting.  There are many different theories regarding mutations especially breast and ovarian cancers in men and women and how the gene is passed on in greater numbers.  
So, the Moonwalk for me is not just about exercise and attempting to become fit, it's learning about my family history any what it may mean to me in the future.
 Marching and fundraising on.]]></description>
<category><![CDATA[Charity and Fundraising]]></category>
<pubDate>Thu, 02 Dec 2010 10:40:22 +0000</pubDate>
<guid>http://blog.lblaw.co.uk/moonwalk-training-continues-246/</guid>
</item>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[Follow My Progress as I Train to 'Walk the Walk' in the 2011 London Moonwalk in Aid of Breast Cancer]]></title>
<link>http://blog.lblaw.co.uk/follow-my-progress-as-i-train-to-walk-the-walk-in-the-2011-london-moonwalk-in-aid-of-breast-cancer-235/</link>
<description><![CDATA[My name is Barbara Dartnall and I am an Assistant in the Private Client Department based at Ludlow.  My sister-in-law threw down the gauntlet several weeks ago and challenged me to join her in the London 2011 Moonwalk for breast cancer.  If course I said yes. I've never done anything like this before so agreed to sign up.  I had an afterthought and wondered how far the Moonwalk was. She said "it's only 26.2 miles". When I picked my chin off the floor after I realised it was a marathon I thought, OK why not.  I've committed myself to fundraising for an amazing charity which members of my family have had the benefit of research. I am of Ashkenazi Jewish race who are susceptible to breast cancer (expecially the men) plus Ovarian cancer - the women.  It's a bit like African/Caribbean people susceptible to sickle cell anaemia. A few members of my family had breast cancer in the past, my Aunt dying from it and she was a breast cancer nurse living in Hungary. My father then had breast cancer and indeed had a mastectomy. He also had lymph nodes removed followed by bowel cancer surgery.   It was the breast cancer in my father that alerted my consultant when I found several breast lumps (which thankfully turned out to be cysts).  Apparently breast cancer is passed down from Jewish father to daugher rather that Jewish mother to daughter. Because of my family background I was given the opportunity to be genetically tested. Carrying the breast cancer gene would mean that my daughters would have the opportunity to start having mammograms at the age of 40 rather than 50. So, I have started training in ernest.  I've joined my local gym in Bishops Castle and I swim. I also intend to have one lengthy road speed march a week weather permitting. Last week I managed my first road walk from Horderley back to Bishops Castle which clocked up 6.1 miles.  I have just finished my second road walk of 7.5 miles (I took the dogs this time) who are now comatozed and draped over the furniture.  I'm now off for a long soak in a hot bath. I'm told it's better for your muscles to have a cold bath - no chance!! Please follow my fortnightly blogs to see how my training is coming along. You can also follow my blogs on the Walk the Walk breast cancer web site on www.walkthewalkfundraising.org/barbara_dartnallFollow me on Twitter @barbdartnall too.   Most importantly of all, sponsorship will be appreciated so much.  ]]></description>
<category><![CDATA[Charity and Fundraising]]></category>
<pubDate>Sun, 17 Oct 2010 14:18:04 +0100</pubDate>
<guid>http://blog.lblaw.co.uk/follow-my-progress-as-i-train-to-walk-the-walk-in-the-2011-london-moonwalk-in-aid-of-breast-cancer-235/</guid>
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