Fear not dear reader I am not about to suddenly hum internationally recognised theme tunes, or talk about new frontiers…

I have reached that point when time seems to be disappearing quicker than it arrives.

Not just that I am no longer 21 and we are already half way through 2016 & it doesn’t seem like it was a month ago when it was Christmas. OMG I sound so freakin old!

I mean in a less personal, lets count Imogen’s wrinkles sort of way….I mean that I don’t quite know how it happened…but in only 1 ½ weeks’ time I will be stood up on a stage welcoming over 250 people to the first ever Melanoma Patient Conference!

I am really very excited. Very nervous too….I have stage fright….I get embarrassed talking in front of 20 people let alone that many & when this happens my neck & chest go bright red – and feel like they are on fire.

I need to overcome these fears because this event is unbelievably important, not just to me, but to 150+ patients that going to be there….oh & also to the sponsors who want to see that their money has been well spent!

With time flashing by so quickly we decided to gamble with the bank holiday weather and traffic & head to the beach.

The traffic didn’t cause us any trouble, our campsite had perfect views, we ate the most amazing fresh seafood in abundance & our greatest concerns were needing to purchase additional bottles of suncream because one bottle wouldn’t spray & another bottle was sticky on the skin…which wouldn’t normally cause any problems but with sand blown around on the beach it was like an evil exfoliation exercise!

We had the most perfect 3 days & couldn’t have visited a better location….to say we needed a break & a chance to unwind & reconnect was an understatement. We left phones and laptops and anything work related out of sight completely…..the catching up on Tuesday was somewhat exhausting…but it was worth it.

Since then everything has happened in a blur…meetings, calls, emails, work, life…there are those occasional moments when your little person reminds you that school starts back in 2 days & they need new PE shoes…and then you go into their cupboards & realise that actually they have done this annoying thing called “growing” and apparently none of their summer shoes fit them anymore. 2 hours & 6 pairs of shoes later…(make that 7 because The Mr decided he quite fancied a new pair too!)…gulp!

Another moment of parenting excellence has to be the reminder “Mummy you haven’t forgotten tomorrow night is Cubs cycling challenge & our bikes need new chains & have punctures etc….”…and you can’t turn around and cry or scream because it isn’t the little people’s fault that you actually did forget & that there aren’t enough hours in the day. *sigh*

Helpfully, but also sort of wonderfully I actually had to attend a NCRI CM-Path Launch in London…..I mentioned this before…I have been appointed as consumer member (patient representative) onto a board at the NCRI (National Cancer Research Institute).

Now you are think…ok…but what is CM-Path…it doesn’t sound like Melanoma…well it isn’t directly but it links in a way. CM-Path is the Cellular Molecular Pathology Initiative.  Think of a clinical trial & think of the fact there are tests that need to happen…tests that involve cells and perhaps a biopsy. These tests are done by Pathologists & Haematologist’s. They look at the blood & tissue samples – and report back via Pathology reports if there are problems or irregularities.

This initiative is designed to involve Pathologists & consumers more with clinical trials, with research & with what happens to the tissue samples we provide.

It never ceased to amaze me when I found out post my WLE that the huge steak like sample of me that was removed wasn’t being used for general “cancer research”. Unless you sign forms, or are asked or offered the option, those surgically removed tissue samples are kept at that 1 hospital & after a pre-defined amount of time are destroyed.

Logically I would wish, as would most patients that I have ever met, that the tissue was used for research – and that the information derived from those tests would be shared between all the various research centres so that finding these magical cures for cancer & Melanoma are reached quicker.

When I had those various surgeries for the colon issues I happily consented to the tissue being used for research & willingly agreed for them to take additional biopsies of non-affected tissue so they could test & compare in full.

If patients are given the full information about what happens & when….if we are involved & consulted, we can help. Not just with Tissue samples, but with our voices & opinions & that is why initiatives like this are so important & I am really honoured to be included.

Anyway…I have talked to you for long enough…I have a conference to prepare for!