After being diagnosed with Lung Cancer Jane Holmes set herself a challenge to take on Ironman 70.3 Swansea.
Jane Holmes, in her words:
So.... this time 8 years ago I went for a chest X-ray that led to a diagnosis of advanced lung cancer (I was 43 years old, didn’t smoke and was a regular runner).
I was given a poor prognosis (incurable, inoperable and terminal). I have had chemotherapy, two surgeries and two courses of radiotherapy since then.
Last year I started The Body Coach to keep me toned up. I have now become a bit delusional / mad and have signed up for an event that will truly challenge me this year..... a half Ironman. This involves a 1.2mile swim, 56 mile hilly bike ride followed by a 13.1 mile run. The cut off time is 8.5 hours (I think!) and my goal is to come in within that! It is taking place in Swansea in August. I didn’t even own a bike when I signed up.
I have less lung than I did 8 years ago but looking back to conversations we were having with clinicians around that time I never thought I would be entering a half Ironman 8 years later!
I am doing a few events along the way as training. Over the years I have raised over £25,000 for Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation and will be doing the half Ironman to hopefully raise a bit more.
Steven Holmes on wife Janes inspirational journey.
The post above is typically modest from Jane and doesn’t begin to describe the life changing moment and feelings when we were given the initial diagnosis & prognosis back in 2014. The one year survival statistics for advanced Lung Cancer were bleak and palliative care was being discussed…everything changed from that moment on.
Moving forward to 2015, we were told that Jane didn’t follow the typical "NHS pathway” for advanced Lung Cancer (luckily!) and after chemotherapy and radiotherapy we managed to be recommended for surgery to remove part of the lung that contained the tumour (we pushed to find a willing surgeon who would operate since surgery after radiotherapy wasn’t routine or straight forward). Surgery was successful - and Jane being Jane - was right back at it as soon as she could, fundraising for the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation….and completing the Snowdonia Marathon 4 months after leaving hospital….although with a little less lung. She was also awarded the Inspiration award that year by the charity for all her incredible efforts, inspiration to others and fundraising.
2 years later unfortunately saw a return of some tumour cells which resulted in more surgery (a complete neck dissection to remove lymph nodes in the neck) - which led to more marathons being completed of course! That year (2017) saw her getting recognised this time by the Snowdonia marathon team and given the Inspiration Award after she finished that years event.
So after a couple of years of lock down as well as clear scans, Jane has found a new goal - the inaugural Swansea 70.3 half Ironman event in August this year. Supported by her local running and cycling club, the local community, the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation and by me [of course!], she is taking on the challenge, fully committed. As Roy Castle used to say “Dedication is what you need” - she has this and more.
We hope to help inspire, motivate and encourage others ...and to raise awareness of this indiscriminate disease through Jane’s story. One of the main themes however that we are trying to get across, is to help diminish the stigma that it is a ’smokers disease’. This disease can affect anyone and 1 in 7 with Lung Cancer are non-smokers with early diagnosis being vital.
As a non-smoker, young, fit female - Jane didn’t fit the usual risk factors for Lung Cancer.
For more information on the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation click HERE
Here is a link to Janes' fundraiding page: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/janeholmes-rclcf
