Good Bye Hayley

Hayley died peacefully in the early hours of Wednesday 31st of August.. I can't think of any other way to word it. 
Any card still on it's way for Hayley's Post Bag will be passed on to her husband Lee.
I will be writing a blog in a couple of of days but please send as much love to Lee and Hayley's family as you can muster.
Thank you for supporting Hayley's Post Bag the response was amazing.


Hayley's funeral will be on Friday September 9th at 10:30
Kettering Crematorium East Lodge, Rothwell Road, Kettering, NN16 8XE
Hayley had made a request that no flowers are sent but a donation instead to Cransley Hospice. Hayley had nothing but praise about the services she received from the staff at Cransley. You can donate via their website. http://www.cransleyhospice.org.uk/

Hayley's Postbag

Sarah and Hayley during one of her many treatment stages

I really hate cancer! Being so close to it doing "what I do" I read about it every day, talk about it every day and I even have Google Alerts send me info. I know numbers about breast cancer, I know stats, improvements in treatments, sciences and get involved in the politics. I have proudly spoken on TV, radio news programs, phone ins and even had my mug on giant billboards. I have won awards,  and even been short listed to carry the Olympic Flame! I write emails, phone people, help out at fund raising events, arrange them too sometimes. This year, as you all know, I ran the London Marathon for Breakthrough Breast Cancer. For the last mile I carried a flag. This was dedicated to a special person. It was Hayley's Flag, Hayley's Mile.
At the end of all this activity was and still is,  real people and sometimes I forget. I am  so dug in with the "stuff" mentioned above, I just carry on regardless!
Well, I need your help! The flag was to help me on my last mile.  Hayley Mitchell is a true fighter and when I found it tough to go out and train I thought of her with her battles with breast cancer and secondary cancers (YES cancer"S") and I made it out to train in the rain, snow and fog.
Hayley, at only 27,  is now very very poorly indeed. Unable to eat properly and no strength to walk. She doesn't have the strength to go on line, text and only occasionally can make a phone call.

Hayley's Mile flag

I would love it for you all to help me cheer her up. Please SEND CARDS! Loads of them. Ask friends to send them, make your own if you like (Just like Aunty Pat!)
Send them to

Hayley's Post Bag
27 Chevening Close
Walderslade
CHATHAM
Kent ME5 7PZ
United Kingdom

I will then take her a nice full post bag!
Please forward the link for this page to anyone.

The flag setting off down the Embankment. A mile to go!

Cards are coming in already from the UK, USA and Australia. Let's trend this folks. On Twitter #hayleyspostbag 
If you are a company please spread this blog's link on your Intranet system, a radio or TV presenter please give this a mention, post this link on your Facebook pages and Twitters, a news paper, please spare a column inch or two!  This will go big! Not only letting people know how tough the battle against breast cancer can be, but may also raise awareness about this terrible disease.
Please give electronics a rest for a minute and post a card. You only need to find a pen and stamp, remember them?
Thank you so very much.
Phil.

Bruce and Alvin

It's been a while!
This blog will be brief as I need to get my fingers and brain together before any serious writing gets under way.
In September I have the Run to The Beat half Marathon so training is on the up again for that. People wanting to join in on the 1974 fancy dress cheering point stay tuned on here and my Facebook page.
A lot has happened since I hobbled my way down the last few miles of the London Marathon.

Hayley meeting the Rubettes at our fundraiser last October

Firstly and above all is our friend Hayley. (Remember Hayley's Mile?) She is bravely battling on and our love goes to her, Lee and the family. We paid her a visit on Monday and she is poorly. Seeing such a young girl go through what she is going through almost made me quit! I felt lost, I couldn't do any more, I was a mess. But her spirits are high and after talking to Sarah and my dear friend Anna Wallace, I am staying put! I can't say much more on the subject, it is too upsetting. This is the reason I will be keeping it pink, fighting on where I can and doing what I can. Love you Hayley. FIGHT sweetheart FIGHT!

The Vodafone World of Difference program was a mixed bag. We got tons of awareness out there. I even got my mug on two giant bill boards in Rochester! (No one was reported to have crashed at the sight of a bloke in a pink T-Shirt and drum sticks!) Trying to get people to sign up to Project 350 was really hard and we have put it on the back burner. Anna and Becky at Breakthrough were pleased with the awareness side and were lovely, even though I had felt so negative about the final outcome. Still we battle on. I got to meet The Mayor of Rochester for a photo call by one of the posters. I did have a number of calls though "Was THAT you on a poster in Rochester?"

Very proud!

Congratulations to Sarah for running the entire way on her Race for Life in Hyde Park London. 2009 diagnosed with breast cancer, operation, chemo, radiotherapy, further medication and then runs 5k in 2011! Thanks to the ever helpful Mike Baron for the training plan. We had some great runs out at Leybourne Lakes until Sarah picked up an injury (Making her a proper runner!!) This meant she had to ease off in the final weeks to the event. With grit and proud determination with some very important names on her back she made it round in the rain and running all the way .Well done Dinky we are all so very proud of you, just as Kevin would have been.

Me and Eddie
Who better to share a medal with?

The week after I completed the Marathon I returned to London to walk with and help former stuntman Eddie Kidd. His trip was well documented in the press but still, well done mate. Great job.






I will be back in the lakes this week training for my first mini triathlon. It's madness. On the subject of sports, many congratulations to Mark Cavendish for winning the Green Jersey in this year's Tour De France. Great job to him and the HTC Highroad Team.


Thanks to everyone at the Dancing Dog Saloon for supporting a little Breakthrough Fundraiser this weekend. Photos soon.  It pulled in £180. Great job thank you.


We are moving in a few weeks and I will be starting a drum school. So anyone in or near Medway looking at starting or continuing drum lessons please get in touch.



We have two new additions to the household. Alvin and Bruce. We were informed that they were ginger Toms to find out on the first visit to the vet for their jabs that they are both girls! They are as mad as hatters and great fun. Bruce is now Brucie and Alvin is Alvin as it's originally a girl's name. (Don't tell Mr Stardust!)  Her name is a long story!!  I have taken loads of photos and entered one of Alvin for a competition. The picture is below. Please click on her photo to  cast your vote It will make her day (and ours) if she wins. I will keep you updated on breakages and the fact that cat do not have 9 lives they have well over two hundred! Bruce fell 7 foot from the top stair rail on to a wooden floor only to be jumped on by Alvin! No sympathy or mercy given!

If everyone who reads this votes for me I'll get fed!

This is the photo of Alvin in the competition! There are many more photos on Facebook. Feel free to have a look at Alvin & Brucie's Album! I hope to get back to the blogging at a more regular basis. In the meantime please have a moment to think about Hayley. She is deeply in our thoughts and prayers (Even though I do feel god is an ostrich with his head in the sand at the moment!)      


Please CLICK HERE to vote


See you all again soon. 
Phil