Lifestyle Choices: Cigars

I was talking to a doctor this morning who was very interested in the work I do with Cancer a Research UK, especially the stuff regarding smoking. We had a really interesting talk about the difference between cigarettes and cigars and our discussion formed the inspiration for today's blog post. 

Cigarettes and Cigars: What's the Difference? 

The main differences between cigarettes and cigars is the size and the type of tobacco used as well as the fact that cigar smoke is often not inhaled.

Cigarettes are uniform in size. They contain less then a gram of tobacco each.

Cigars are primarily composed of an air cured and fermented type of tobacco with a tobacco wrapper. They vary in size and shape. They can contain between a gram and 20 grams of tobacco. 

*Large cigars can measure more then 7 inches and can contain between 5-20 grams of tobacco. Some premium brands can contain the tobacco equivalent of a whole packet of cigarettes. They can take between 1-2 hours to smoke. 

*Cigarillos are smaller and contain around 3 grams of tobacco.

*Little Cigars are normally the same size and shapes as cigarettes and are normally packaged just like them. They usually contain about 1 gram of tobacco and some of then have a filter which makes them designed to be smoked like cigarettes (meaning the smoke is inhaled) 

Are Cigars Addictive?

You can become addicted to cigars even if you do not inhale as there are high levels of nicotine which are absorbed into the body via the lining of the mouth if you don't inhale and via the lungs if you do. A single cigar has the potential to contain as much nicotine as a pack of cigarettes. 

Is Cigar Smoke Harmful?

Cigar smoke is just like cigarette smoke in that it contains toxic chemicals which can case cancer and are harmful to both smokers and non smokers.

It may be possible that cigarette smoke is more toxic then cigarette smoke for the following reasons: 

*A higher level of cancer causing substances - high concentrates of cancer causing nitrosamines are produced during the fermentation process for cigar tobacco. These are then released when a cigar is smoked.

*There is more cancer causing tar in for every gram of tobacco smoked in a cigar than in cigarettes. 

*Cigars have a less porous wrapper then cigarettes which means the burning of the tobacco less complete and this means there is a higher concentration of toxics than in cigarette smoke.  

*Cigars tend to be larger and the longer time it takes to smoke results in higher exposure to the toxic substances which include carbon monoxide, ammonia, cadmium and hydrocarbons to name a few.

Can Cigars Cause Cancer?

Smoking cigars can cause several cancer types including:

*Oesophageal

*Pancreatic 

*Lung

*Larynx

*Oral Cavity

Cigar smokers are also at risk of heart disease and lung disease, especially if they inhale. As with cigarettes, the more you smoke the more you put your health at risk. 

What About if You Don't Inhale? 

Unlike with cigarettes, most cigar smokers do not inhale. The risk of lung cancer, coronary heart disease and lung disease is lower for cigar smokers but is obviously higher then that of a non smoker. 

However, like cigarette smokers, those that smoke cigars expose their lips, mouth, tongue, throat and larynx to the toxic and cancer causing chemicals found in the smoke, whether they inhale or not. The chemicals found the smoke is also carried in the saliva to the oesophagus which is exposed to carcinogens. The risks for oral and oesophageal cancer risks tend to be similar between cigarette and cigar smokers.

I'm sitting next to my dad who is smoking a small cigar right now so he's about to get a bit of a lecture from me. But that is only because he's my dad and I get pushy with my family over these things. I am a non smoker myself but I am very careful not to judge anyone that smokes. It is your body to do what you wish with and I can imagine how hard if is to give up as I unable to give up my own addiction (sugar). The purpose of this blog post is to provide the information for you to do as I wish. 

To read more about the dangers of smoking I have a previous blog post with lots of information you can read here: http://pennysophia.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/lifestyle-choices-smoking.html?m=1

To read more about the way your body repairs itself when you give up smoking you can read this post: http://pennysophia.blogspot.com/2013/01/a-timeline-of-how-your-body-repairs.html?m=1

Cancer Campaigns Ambassador Showcase: Ally Whittam

I met Ally at the Lobby Day at the beginning of the month. He is a relatively new member of the Ambo family and we were introduced by our fellow Ambo and friend, Clive Barley. Ally and Clive share a constituency, Lytham St Anne. Thankfully my overexcited chatter didn't scare Ally away from the programme and his own enthusiasm for the charity was instantly apparent. Ally studied politics and his knowledge of the subject will be a huge asset for Team Ambo as he will be able to share his knowledge with us.

I try to keep in touch with any many fellow Ambo's as possible, usually by Facebook, Twitter or email if they live far away, and since the lobby I have learnt more about Ally's dedication to the charity. He provides a significant amount of time to the cause and CRUK are very lucky to have someone like him working for their cause. I'm really glad he has allowed me to share his story today and I hope I do it justice!


What made you decide to volunteer for CRUK?

Like many other people who volunteer with Cancer Research UK I have been personally affected by Cancer. In 2012, my Grandad was diagnosed with Bowel Cancer. Thankfully he was able to recover. Hearing that a loved one has been diagnosed with Cancer is a devastating blow but has served as my motivation for being involved CRUK. By volunteering in varying capacities I genuinely believe that I am helping the wider fight against Cancer.

 

What sort of things do you do for the charity?

Currently I volunteer in my local CRUK shop in St. Annes twice a week. While being unemployed after finishing University at the end of last year, this has enabled me to keep busy, improve my own skill set and work as part of a diverse team to raise money for the important work that CRUK does. It is a great feeling to know that your work has helped the shop raise money every week for such a good cause.

In addition to my work in the shop, I am also a Cancer Campaigns Ambassador. Having studied politics the ambassador role has been a fantastic experience in that it has helped give me the opportunity to lobby my MP directly on issues such as early diagnosis. I also recently volunteered at Race for Life in Blackpool as a Course Marshal.

 

What are your favourite aspects of volunteering for the charity?

My favourite part about working in the shop is being part of such a passionate team. Everyone is so determined to keep the shop running well. I also enjoy interacting with the public and having the chance to improve my skills.

As an ambassador, being able to meet and talk to my MP on the terrace at the Houses of Parliament was a fantastic experience. Meeting all the other ambassadors at the lobby day was also brilliant. It’s great to know that so many like-minded individuals are helping the same cause!

 

Do you have any future volunteering plans?

Whatever job I end up in, I hope to continue volunteering. Although I may have to eventually stop helping out in the shop I definitely want to continue as a Cancer Campaigns Ambassador as this is where I can make an impact on the political process. I am also interested in becoming more involved in fundraising and taking part in other events as well.

 

What advice would you give to anyone considering volunteering for CRUK?

My biggest piece of advice would be to get involved as much as you can. You will get the chance to improve your skills, meet some fantastic people and help beat cancer sooner!

 

 

Now seeing as Clive was one of the three musketeers responsible for me agreeing to the marathon I really think he should be doing the same with Ally and persuading to join Team CRUK Ambo too! I will recruit as many Ambo's as possible to run it with me if it's the last thing I do, safety in numbers after all!!!

 

Thank you for sharing your story Ally, we are very lucky to have you as part of Team Ambo! 

 

 

All About Amazing Alice

When I first became involved with Cancer Research UK my mum was worried that the subject would leave me feeling depressed and sad, especially as Georgie died six months after I started as an Ambassador. 

However, it has actually at the opposite effect, I've met so many incredible people and they have changed my outlook on life for the better. I've met people who genuinely astound me with the way they handle their diagnosis and treatment. The charity has filled my life with friends with such strength, dignity, compassion and bravery. I find myself inspired by them and they make me feel more positive just by being around them or talking to them. 

The word "inspirational" is thrown around frequently but it genuinely does apply in the case of Alice Roythorne. I was introduced to her via Twitter through some mutual friends at the charity and I was blown away by how she dealt with her diagnosis and treatment. Alice is the epitome of why I work with the charity so much, she is courageous, dignified and extremely kind. Cancer was not going to beat Alice, she fought it with everything she had and thankfully she is doing well. She has thrown herself into fundraising with her supportive friends and is preparing to do a Pretty Muddy event tomorrow - which looks like so much fun. 

I feel very privileged that Alice has allowed me to share her story with you guys today and I know she will inspire you just as she does me. Enjoy! 

"I first got involved with CRUK by deciding to share my story, in the hope that other pregnant ladies diagnosed with cancer wouldn't feel alone and might be encouraged by my successful treatment. At the time I'd never heard about anyone else being pregnant & treated for cancer.

I love being involved with CRUK, it's great to feel that some good may come from a difficult time in my life. I've met so many lovely people through things I've been lucky to do, CRUK staff and volunteers, they are all are a really fantastic bunch! I like the variety of things I've been able to do, even whilst undergoing chemotherapy & radiotherapy last year I cheered on runners at Cardiff half marathon, had my head painted and was featured in social media posts.

I'm joining forces with some great friends to climb the Welsh 3 peaks later this year to raise money for CRUK, something I hoped to do last year but had to postpone. I'm really looking forward to finally achieving it! My friends have been fantastic it will be lovely to do this with them. Also...I've applied for a place to run the London marathon....I'm not sure how I feel about this!! I had to, CRUK are the charity partner & I would be so proud to run for them. Big ask though after a year of treatment!

For anyone facing a cancer diagnosis I would say what kept me going through both of my diagnoses was great support from friends and family. There's a lot to cope with when you're diagnosed, lots of appointments to go to as well. It's very hard being close to someone with cancer and you can end up feeling useless. I know, I've been on both sides. So let people help. If they can take you to appointments, cook a meal, look after children, just come and be with you, it will help you and them."

Alice has invited myself and our friend Nancy to join her in Wales for a hike in September and I'm so excited to do it and spend some time with them as they are both funny and so positive to be around. They really put me to shame as well as they are both busy mums and wives but they still find the time to do so much for others! 

If you are currently facing cancer then please take some strength from Alice's story and her really helpful words of wisdom. 

Alice is taking part in Pretty Muddy tomorrow, if you would like to sponsor her then the link is https://www.justgiving.com/muddyarmy/

Thank you so much for allowing me to share this today Alice, I think you are absolutely amazing and I'm very grateful to be inspired by you on a frequent basis! 

Cancer Research Annual Review Summary

Last year I posted a summary of the CRUK Annual Review to help people know where their donations are going.

I would never ask people to donate their hard earned cash if I didn’t believe in the charity 100% so I thought I would do the same this year. The annual review has been released and can be found in it’s entirety athttp://www.cancerresearchuk.org/sites/default/files/annual_review_2013-14.pdf  but here is a summary for you today :)

 

Cancer Research UK funded 4,000 scientists, doctors and nurses across the UK as they research cures and treatments for over 200 types of cancer. This research has led to some incredible breakthroughs and cancer survival rates are improving constantly. For example 2/3 children diagnosed with brain tumours will survive beyond 10 years after their diagnosis thanks to this research.

£351million was spent by CRUK on research in the UK.

£132million was spent on research that underpins all cancer types

£34million was spent on cervical, kidney, stomach, testicular and 100 other cancer types

£37million was spent on breast cancer

£33million was spent on bowel cancer

£21million was spent on leukaemia

£18million was spent on skin cancer

£17million was spent on prostate cancer

£16million was spent on lung cancer

£8million was spent on non-hodgkins lymphoma

£6million was spent on oesophageal cancer

£6million was spent on pancreatic cancer

£6million was spent on brain cancer

£5million was spent on bladder cancer

 

£21million was spent on providing information for cancer sufferers and their loved ones as well as raising awareness of risks and symptoms and influencing health policy.

 

80p out of every £1 donated was made available for funding research and the remaining 20p was used to raise funds for the future. This is a staggering amount and one of the best ratios in the charity sector as far as I am aware.

 

9/10 donations that made up these totals was £10 or less so every penny really does count. That £1 you put in a collection tin or the £2 you sponsor every month makes a huge huge difference to the charity and their research every year.

 

 

WE REALLY DO MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

*55,000 Dryathletes raised over £5million by going booze free in January 2014

*600,000 people took part in events and walked, ran, swan or cycled their way to raising vital funds

*£45million has now been pledged for the Francis Crick Institute which will house 1,200 scientists researching cures and treatments for cancer

*£100million was raised through regular donations

*2 million people raised over £7million by posting their no make up selfie online and donating money

*65,000 people visited the Cancer Awareness Roadshow to learn more about how healthy lifestyle choices can reduce their cancer risk

*11,000 people were helped by the cancer specialist nurses helpline

*3.5million bags of various items were donated to CRUK shops to sell to raise funds

*16million people visited CancerHelp UK to gain more information

*33,000 cancer patients joined clinical trials.

 

There was thing in particular that astounded me:

40,000 volunteers gave up 7million hours of time collectively to help Cancer Research UK. I am beyond proud to call some of them my friends and to include myself in this incredible and inspiring group of people. AMAZING!

 

 

These figures are absolutely amazing. I genuinely do believe that cures for many cancer types will be found during my lifetime thanks to all the amazing people doing so much to make sure that happens. From the person putting 20p in a collection tin, to someone running Race for Life, to a scientist working in a lab to a patient on a clinical trial – together everyone is playing a part in the much bigger picture and that is something really special.

 

If you have any questions about any of these figures then please check the CRUK. Make sure you read the full annual review in the link above if you can as it is really interesting and includes something from my lovely friend Gower Tan!

 

If you would like to get more involved with the charity then please visit the website to find out more atwww.cancerresearchuk.org

 

What we've acheived in the past year - 2013/14

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CRUK Cancer Campaigns Ambassador Showcase - Ciara May Litchfield

I briefly got to meet the lovely Ciara (pronounced like Keira Knightley rather then the singer Ciara!!) at our recent parliament lobby day and she is lovely to talk to! She has kindly agreed to let me share her story as a CRUK volunteer here with you today and I’m really happy she trusted me to do so! 

Ciara is about to turn twenty three and she works in Harley Street as a Nutritionist. She has a real interest in health and living a healthy lifestyle. She is also incredibly charitable as she not only dedicates large portions of her spare time to CRUK but she also gives blood and other amazing things to help others. Young people tend to get a lot of criticism and we tend to only read about the negatives in the press and online but I think someone such as Ciara should be highlighted as someone who is a genuinely lovely person doing her bit to make the world a much better place so I hope you enjoy reading my interview with her today :)

What made you decide to volunteer for CRUK?

Like many people in the UK I have been personally affected by Cancer. Numerous people close to me have had their own battles with the disease, the first of which was my grandmother who lost her battle with to Pancreatic Cancer 10 years ago. It was a very quick process and came as a real shock to our family, especially as she was only 62. Over time you realise that it doesn’t get easier, you will always miss those who are gone. In my case I felt cheated and angry that she had been taken away and began to look into ways of turning the anger into something productive. When I read about all that CRUK do to prevent people going through the same thing as my family have I wanted to get involved which lead to me deciding to volunteer.

 

What sort of things do you do for the charity?

I have run Race for Life annually since 2009; I think it’s a perfect way to do something for yourself while supporting an amazing charity at the same time. If you’re not one for running you can still get involved by volunteering to help out on the day. By the end of this year I will have ran a total of 61k for CRUK, with my first half marathon in October. Other ways I donate my time are through the Ambassador programme and promoting Race for Life at other events such as the Sport Relief Mile and local events.

 

What are your favourite aspects of volunteering for the charity?

On a completely selfish level it makes me feel like I am doing something positive. On the flip side in everything you do whether it be a local 5k, cake sale or a lobby day with Parliament you have such a passionate team supporting you. I still get regular calls from the team offering support for any upcoming events I have planned. Every minute of your time is so appreciated and not just from a fundraising perspective. By volunteering at such events as Shine or Race for Life you get to be a part of something huge.

 

Do you have any future volunteering plans?

My next big event is the London Marathon though I hope to add in lots more before them. While I’m not up to running it I will be volunteering on the day to help out. Cancer Research are the official sponsors’ this year so I will be looking out for anyone in a CRUK vest to give them an extra loud cheer!

 

What advice would you give to anyone considering volunteering for CRUK?

Just do it. It’s so easy and makes such a difference you will be hooked in no time. If you are stuck and need advice check out the CRUK website. You will find upcoming events to get involved with or ideas for planning something on your own.

 

 

I’m hugely relieved to know people such as Ciara are volunteering to help at The London Marathon as I have a feeling I’m going to need to a lot of support making it round that 26.2 miles!! She works on Harley Street just as I do so hopefully she can not only give me some much needed advice on nutrition but hopefully we can have some lunches to get some CRUK related ideas shared!

 

If you have read this from Ciara today and are thinking you may want to get involved and volunteer like she does then please visit the CRUK volunteering page and see if there is a role that suits you.http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/support-us/volunteer

 

Thanks so much for letting me share your story Ciara, CRUK is lucky to have someone as passionate as you involved in their work!

National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI)

Whenever I look at Cancer Research UK Facebook posts I always see comments from people who have something to say about the way the charity distributes its funds by cancer type. Obviously if you have had experience of a particular cancer type then you will be anxious to know that cures for that cancer type are being researched. If anyone actually asks me about this I always direct them to one place: The NCRI as they ensure the research funds and various research projects are distributed between the various charities funding research into cancer. So I thought I would use today’s post to talk about what the NCRI do.

What is the NCRI?

The UK has a rich history of researching cancer and the first charity dedicated to this was set up in 1902. Research activity has increased rapidly over the years as the number of cancer sufferers has gown. We now have government health departments as well as research councils and a whole host of charities funding cancer research. The National Cancer ResearchInstitute is a collection of some these UK cancer research funders. Between them the partners of the NCRI have funded over £4.5 BILLION since 2002 and they work together to make sure the funds are used to their best effect.

As there are so many different organisations doing research it is important that they work together to make sure the funds are put to the best use possible. This means they try not to duplicate research and try to ensure there are no gaps.

The NHS Cancer Plan was written in 2000 and proposedformalizing the connections of funders of research into cancer as, although they had been working together since the 90’s, there wasn’t a formal way of working and the NCRI was created in 2001 to do just that.

► NHS Cancer Plan 2000 (PDF)

 

The NCRI was originally formed with fifteen organisations and they provided funding to form a small secretariat. The early work of the NCRI was to provide a way of building connections between the partners and establishing a database of the funding so that areas of strength and weakness could be easily identified.

 

The role NCRI has grown and become more diverse over the years. As with most things, challenges were identified and things were developed and changed. The NCRI now has 22 partners who spend more then £500 million on research into cancer between them every year. As so many organizations are involved and so much money is handled, the need for the coordination of the NCRI is more important then ever.

 

The partner organizations are government or charity organizations supporting cancer research in the UK. They wish to work together to ordinate their research to avoid duplication of research and maximize the impact of their research for the benefit of the public.

 

The 22 members of the NCRI are:

*Department of Heath

*Cancer Research UK

*Macmillan Cancer Support

*Marie Curie Cancer Care

*Prostate Cancer UK

*ABPI

*Worldwide Cancer Research

*BBSRC

*Breakthrough Breast Cancer

*Breast Cancer Campaign

*Children with Cancer UK

*Chief Scientist Office

*Economic and Social Research Council

*Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research

*Ludwig Cancer Research

*Medical Research Council

*Public Health Agency

*Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation

*Tenovus

*National Institute for Social Care and Health Research

*Wellcome Trust

*Yorkshire Cancer Research

*The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) is also a member to recognize the importance of collaborating with pharmaceutical companies.

 

*The partners each spend at least £1million per year on cancer research in the UK and these funds are allocated by an independent peer review. Most of the partners will submit data on their projects to the NCRI Cancer Research Database every year as well as share the date with the other partners and the International Cancer Research Partnership.

*The partners pay an annual subscription which supports the core work of the NCRI.

*The NCRI does also work with organizations that do not meet their funding threshold, for example other cancer charities funding research projects or organizations working in diseases other then cancer but which have an overlapping interest of research.

* The NCRI partnership has a governing board which has meetings three times per year. This board is made up of senior members of the various NCRI partner organisations as well as lay representatives and other key stakeholders.  You can find info on their members and some minutes of past meetings on their website if you would like to have a look, the link is at the bottom of the page.

*The core business of the NCRI is funded by the partnerorganizations which make annual contributions to cover the costs. Initiatives are budgeted separately and funded by acombination of partner members and occasionally by non partner organisations who have an interest in that particular area.

*The NCRI does not directly fund research as their purpose is to ensure collaborated between the various funders rather then tocentralize the process of funding.

*The partners all have their own goals and their own strategiesto guide their way of funding and deciding which activities they take on but the NCRI does have a complimentary agenda as well.

 

 

 

The NCRI Strategic Plan 2012-2017

The strategic plan is aimed at renewing the commitment of the partners to keep working together and build on the various successes of the NCRI. There are still areas of research which are lagging behind so the NCRI seek ways of helping to advance these to add value to cancer research.

► Summary of NCRI strategic plan 2012-17 (PDF)

► NCRI strategic plan 2012-2017 (PDF)

 

The NCRI has different strands of work in place to support coordination of cancer research in the UK:

*NCRI Clinical Studies Groups – These provide a forum for researchers to develop trials and build a strategy within their area of expertise

*NCRI Cancer Conferences – The NCRI hold a conference each November with speakers from the UK and abroad showcasing cancer research

*NCRI Cancer Research Database – They collect and analyzedata from the partners to try to understand how the funding is spread out across the various areas of cancer research

*Research Initiatives – A programme of initiatives, which is constantly evolving, supports the development of research 

 

Supporting Cancer Research:

Topics are sometimes identified in which there are research needs that can be addressed collectively and the board may agree to exploratory work by either the Secretariat or a partner organization. This could lead to a project within an existing resource or the creation of a separate one. Many of these projects are aimed at coordination among researchers:

*Prevention – The National Prevention Research Initiative (NPRI) is aimed at increasing research activity with the creation of funding opportunites

*Early Detection – The National Awareness and EarlyDiagnosis Initiative (NAEDI) tried to boost research into the early detection of cancer by bringing funders together

*Cancer Intelligence – The National Cancer Intelligence Network (NCIN) is aimed at improving and using information on cancer patients in the NHS for research and analysis purposes

*Radiotherapy – CTRad links UK experts to allow national leadership to support the development of research intoradiotherapy

 *Biobanking – The Confederation of Cancer Biobanks (CCB) works on a common vision for biobanking in the UK and coordinates the activity

*PET Imaging – The NCRI Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Core Lab provides accreditation for sites participating in PET trials by providing quality control

*Surgery – A report from the NCRI is able to identifyopportunities for surgeons to become engaged in research

*End of Life Care – The UK End of Life Care Research Interest Group encourages research into end of life care as well as collaboration on the subject.

 *Grantsmanship – There is a gateway website which helps researchers identify funding sources and access advice from experts on the application development process for grants

 

There are ways for you to find out how the money you donate to a particular charity is spent. I’ve done a piece of CRUK’s spending in the past – all of the information for which was found in the CRUK Annual Review.http://pennysophia.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/cancer-research-uk-yearly-progress.html?m=1

If you are ever unhappy and feel like research into an area of cancer isn’t being done then I would really recommend contacting the NCRI and seeing if they can point you in the right direction to reassure you. Obviously there are areas that are still underdeveloped but I am confident that this will change over time and the areas that don’t receive much funding at the moment will be reached in time. Obviously cancers that affect more people, i.e. breast and bowel do receive a lot of funding as they do affect a large amount of people.  

 

If you would like more information on the NCRI and what they do please visit their website http://www.ncri.org.uk/

 

 

Ever Considered Volunteering?

"The greatest gift you can give is your time because when you give your time you are giving a portion of your life that you will never get back"

It's no secret that volunteering for Cancer Research UK is one of my favourite aspects of my life. I meet incredible people and do incredible things on a weekly basis. I am challenged, I am inspired and I am frequently left in awe of the people I get to meet. I openly admit that if I ever won a significant amount of money I would leave full time employment and volunteer for the charity on a full time basis. 

The charity have tens of thousands of volunteers. Most of them are like me; willing to donate large portions of their spare time to the cause we believe in. My spare time is precious, I don't have a lot of it. I genuinely have to believe in something and really want to do it if I'm going to drag myself away from the sofa to do it. Whenever I meet a new volunteer and they ask for tips I always say the same thing "once you've volunteered for one thing, you'll become slightly obsessed and find yourself volunteering more and more" that is true. I started out as just an ambassador. Now I volunteer to help at events like Race for Life, I've spoken at volunteers conferences and various other things.

If you've ever considered donating some time to a cause then I can hand on heart recommend Cancer Research UK. The charity hugely appreciates their volunteers and go out of their way to make you feel informed, inspired and important. You'll meet people who will hopefully  become good friends and you'll come away feeling like you've really made a difference. 

There are many ways to volunteer:

Cancer Campaigns Ambassador - We ambassadors are a group of passionate supporters working hard to help CRUK effectively influence politicians, engage the local media in their campaigns and try to help them save lives. Our stories, experiences and passion have become one of CRUK’s most powerful campaigning tools and are vital part of their work.

As an ambassador the activities are varied and interesting:

* Communication with local politicians and parliamentary representatives; flagging up our campaign issues and persuading them to back us and take positive action on our behalf.

* Engaging with our local and regional press; securing coverage for our campaigns and raising awareness in our local area.

* Lobbying for specific cancer related campaigns.

I cannot find words big enough to describe how amazing I find my fellow ambassadors. We have formed a close group and we support, encourage and work together to make a real difference. It is a true honour to count myself as part of this inspiring group of people. If this sounds like something you might be interested in then I can promise you would be welcomed with open arms :) 

Volunteering at an event - I recently started volunteering at Race for Life and it was brilliant. The atmosphere was buzzing and the people I met were infectious in their enthusiasm. I used my experience as a secretary to man the admin tent so I was dealing with queries, making sure people had running numbers etc... But you can also volunteer as a course marshall and various other things. There is also Shine, for which I've signed up to volunteer at, as well as Relay for Life and various other events such as marathons etc... These volunteer roles are perfect if you don't fancy partaking in a sports event but would like to be part of the atmosphere and support those taking part. 

Volunteering in a shop - I'm really keen to get my grandad volunteering in one of the CRUK shops as I worry about him getting bored at home now he's retired. I've never met a CRUK shop volunteer who wasn't friendly, helpful and chatty. They are lovely people. This type of role would be perfect if you have a few hours to kill during the working day and would like to get yourself out of the house for a few hours! 

These are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the types of volunteering positions available with the charity. For more information you should take a look here: http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/support-us/volunteer/help-at-an-event

Don't just take my word for how brilliant volunteering is, some of my lovely friends and fellow volunteers have kindly allowed me to share their own thoughts and feelings on the subject with you: 

"I feel proud to be able to contribute to the work of such a high quality organisation working for such a valuable cause" - Sue Kennedy 

"I'm proud to be part of the volunteers family in CRUK, and although we all do different work, are all contributing to the same cause. ... bring cancer down." - Andy Millin

"I love volunteering as it is a pleasure knowing i helping for a great cause and meeting other people." - Karen Penn 

"it's an absolute honour to volunteer for such an amazing charity. I've got so much from the experience, including friends!" - Alice Roythorne 

"Proud to be part of CRUK and inspired by other volunteers" - Sue Duncombe 

The Lazy Girl's Guide to Exercise and Cancer

There are two words I would use to describe myself – greedy and lazy. If I could sit on the sofa eating chocolate and watching box sets of my favourite TV shows all day, I would. After a period where I was quite ill and feeling very unhealthy I have tried to force myself to like exercise. It’s handy that I’ve moved back home for a while because I’ve been able to walk my mum’s dog, Bugsy, with her and I’ve developed a routine for exercise. Amazingly I do feel a lot better and it shows in my skin, my weight and my energy levels. I also sleep very verywell now which is perfect because I developed insomnia during the recent stress.

Somehow I have allowed my friends, Andy, Gower and Clive, to persuade me to enter The London Marathon 2015. To be honest I have no idea how this happened but it is giving me something to aim for and push me to head out for exercise when I really would rather sit at home with a Chinese. I thought I’d end the week with a blog post about exercise and the importance of keeping active in honour of my new more active lifestyle :)

 

We all know that being physically active is good for your heart but research has also shown that is also reduces the risk of breast, bowel and uterine cancer. It is believed that being active helps to prevent around 3,000 cancer cases in the UK every year.

The recommended guideline is that adults should aim for about 2.5 hours of moderate activity every week, although you could be like me and break that time into more manageable chunks to fit in around a busy lifestyle.Obviously the more activity you do, the more benefits you reap. You don’t need to join a gym or anything like that if you don’t want to as quite a few everyday activities count as moderate activity. You’re aiming for anything that gets you slightly warm and out of breath so this could include:

*power walking

*gardening

*dancing

*strenuous housework

 

I work forty hours a week and my commute to and from work is around an hour each way. I also have to factor in life in general and my volunteer work so the best way for me to get my 2.5 hours of exercise is through daily activity. For example I try to take the stairs at Regents Park tube station rather then get the lift. I also get off the bus from the train station 3 stops earlier on my way home from work and walk up the hill to my mum’s house. Now the marathon is thrown into the mix I have to slowly start doing more in the way of running but I’m building my way up slowly :)

Exercise and Weight:

The world seems to be obsessed with weight. Being physically active does help you manage your weight, as long as it is combined with a relatively healthy diet. Anyone who knows me personally knows that I can happily eat my body weight in sweet stuff and still want more. As I get older I do notice the stuff I eat making its presence known on my body and the scales. Someone once told me sugar is more addictive then heroin and I actually believe that. I tried to give up sugar once and it was one of the worst weeks of my life – the headaches were horrific and I was a horrible cow to everyone coming into contact with me! There is no way I could ever diet, I’m not one for depriving myself but I am slowly learning to restrict myself and try to eat a bit better. I have been promised that I don’t have to give up cake whilst training for the marathon so that’s a silver lining :)

 

Exercise and Cancer Risk:

Scientists are developing more and more theories about how exercise and physical activity can reduce the risk of certain cancers developing. Obviously different thingsaffect different cancer types but here are a few theories:

Hormones – Exercise can lower the level of oestrogen in women. Oestrogen is a possible catalyst for some types of breast and uterine cancers so reducing oestrogen levels could also help to reduce the risk of developing these cancers. It can also reduce the amount of Insulin in our bodies and this is very important as there are somescientists that believe insulin can activate signals that get cells to multiply. As we know multiplying cells can get out of control and lead to cancer so it helps reduce the risk of certain cancer types if insulin levels are reduced.

Bowel Movements – exercise apparently helps food move through the bowels faster which reduces the amount of contact the bowel lining has with harmful chemicals, such as those found in alcohol and processed meat. This hopefully means there is less chance of them causing any damage that can lead to cancer

Bowel Inflammation – Inflammation is a way in which our bodies react when we are injured or battlinginfections. It can sometimes cause damage, especially if it keeps happening in one particular place, and it can eventually lead to cells multiplying at a more frequent rate so they can replace dead or damaged ones. Exercise can reduce bowel inflammation which should help reduce the risk of bowel cancer.

It is Never too Late!

Even if you are really inactive now, it is never too late to start exercising! Cancer Research UK have some brillianttips for how to get yourself started:

*Slowly build up your exercise time over time

*Break the 2.5 hours up into smaller chucks, possible 30mins per day during the week

*Spend less time sitting around (hard if you have an office job like mine I know!)

*Set yourself a challenge (hey you can always run the marathon!)

 

I’ll keep you guys updated on the marathon training when it actually kicks off. I have a feeling it is going to be hellish for me but rather amusing for those that know me. I do know it will be an amazing thing to accomplish and you never know, I could become one of those people that runs for fun eventually?! The marathon is the day after my birthday next year so I am planning to celebrate with a massive amount of cake at the end....if I make it to the finish line in one piece! Donations and offers of piggy back rides will be very much welcome :)

For more information on exercise and other healthy living facts please take a look at CRUK’s website

http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/cancer-info/healthyliving/

If you are thinking of looking into a challenge to motivate yourself then there are so any events you can do to raise money for CRUK, take a look at their events page http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/support-us/find-an-event