A New Brains on Boats Schedule

Hi Everyone,

Five weeks ago I was walking Walter, my dog, and I fell into a little hole in the pavement. Yes, I wasn't paying attention, except to the sunshine, blue sky and mild weather, which were making a brief visit to London. Despite icing, wrapping, plenty of paracytemol and ibuprofen, my ankle did not get much better. Moving forward was fine; but, last week, when I tried a sidestep, I was back to the agony of my first misstep. I went for an x-ray and scan and discovered I have a tibia fracture and have torn the ligaments that support the outside of my ankle. It should take 2 to 3 more months to properly heal.

So, with regret, and a somewhat hobbled gait, I have decided to push back the Brains on Boats Channel Crossing till next summer.

It was a hard decision to arrive at and I felt like I failed the cause. But one of the lessons I've learned in dealing with cancer has been to read my body. Not to be Polly-Anna, but since I've taken the decision to delay the "voyage", I've realized the positive side of delay. A few years ago Gu and I competed in the Irish Indoor Rowing Competition(at which I won a Gold Medal in my age category ... ahem ... and in which I was the only competitor in my age category) and also in the World Indoor Rowing Championship in Boston, where I placed comfortably in the middle of more than 40 competitors. We've decided to return to our indoor roots and row at a number of competitions during the next year both in the UK, Ireland and the US. We'll use these occasions to seek out cancer support groups and continue to raise awareness about Brain Cancer and the causes which help those affected by it and which seek to its cure. As we will mostly be in the United Kingdom we will, as ever, champion The Royal Marsden and Macmillan and in the States, Stand Up 2 Cancer.

Thanks for understanding.