Sunday, 18 March 2012
Spot the idiot... AsHford 10k COMPLETE!!!
54:13 my time, 347th out of 550 runners. Pretty happy with that (not so happy with my sweaty wet cast!)... WHOOP WHOOP!!!
Saturday, 17 March 2012
These legs are made for running (and falling) ...
Oh dear. After some timely nagging by my dear father I looked at my blog only to see that as I think about the second 10k looming over the horizon (tmr!) I havent even blogged about the first!!! Shock horror... and my medal had been hanging proudly (or is it me proudly looking at it hanging?) in my hallway, ready to be joined over the year by another 8 or so, for a month! I hope to build up the distances over the year culminating in a no doubt leg aching half marathon if all goes well hence not 10 x 10k. So, I came in 79th out of 105 doing 5 miles in 44 minutes 
which I think is not too bad for a man with stage IV cancer & a fractured scaphoid, strapped up at the time but unknowingly hiding a fracture they didnt confirm til 2 weeks later from an unfortunate bicycle accident (I know, if its not one thing its another!) still, I am very much hoping to improve on my place in the next race (eek! its tomorrow AND its raining!) even though I havent been running as much as I'd like. If you felt how wet & sweaty this cast (i now have) gets after an hour long run you'd understand... So, RACE NO. 2 COMING UP TMW : : : THIS TIME A 10K (thats about 6 miles!) www.ashfordanddistrict10k.co.uk!!!
In case you missed it, I am doing the 100k challenge of which this race is part in aid of my local muliple sclerosis therapy centre, the Willow foundation (giving seriously ill young uns a day out to remember), my own treatment fund (running worryingly low) & the Ashinaga orphanage in Japan. So far I havent been able to raise anything like the pledges I need to reach my 10,000GBP target (though massive thanks for those kind people who have!). So, if you can pledge even just 10p per KM would be great... 1GBP or a dollar or 1000yen per km would be brilliant!!! you can pledge in the comments section or to my email!
FYI the next 2 will be Richmond 10k on 31st March followed by a charity 10k in Japan on 8th April, which I am very much looking forward to!
IN OTHER NEWS, I will go for some extensive dental work at the Munro Hall clinic in Bedford next week to remove what they call 'chronic infections' behind the roots of my 2 front teeth which will be removed (so no more butter-melting smiles from me! he he ... ) AND the 4 cavitation infections hiding in the cavities left behind when my wisdown teeth were removed 10 years ago. Its an interesting field (holistic dentistry) which relates these infections not recognized in conventional dentistry to chronic disease due to their potential toxic load on the body. Obviously we all know amalgams and mercury filling are not going to be good for us (if we dont we damn well should!) but I do believe in this body of work too ... our teeth are undoubtably connected to the rest of our body so, added to my continually improving health (yes I have actually been even sleeping almost the whole night through every night lately!!) & this I am really hoping that the healing of these infections will be the straw (or at least something close to a straw) to break the camel's back (though i have rather a lot of 'camels' in my lungs at present), so my immune system can finally 'see' the rogue (naughty!) cells and zap them until they are squished to smithereens and this 32 year old man is completely, 100% and fully CANCER FREE.
I have a dream ...
Wednesday, 8 February 2012
Running update & (short) book review!!!
I managed 45-50 minutes running today in the snow and ice with my yak trak's on my runnersso that puts the mileage I can handle at around 85% of what I will be running on Feb 19th! almost ready (this snow isnt helping though!) .. any more pledges feel free to drop me a line dave@mymtokyo.com
* * *
Just finished the second book 'The Te of Piglet' which is different to the Tao of Pooh (my fabourite book ever right now!) but also an abolutely fantastic read for anyone feeling the burn of modern life and perhaps needing a return to amore simple life... highly recommended by me (and my dad!)Thursday, 26 January 2012
100Km Challenge Progress Report
I managed to run just over 4 miles the other day (7km+) in training without too much trouble. Legs getting bit jellified - not surprising considering I dont eat carbs or grains! - but other than that on track I think with fitness! First race is 10km on Feb 19th with my dear friend Shelley. If anyone else wants to run with me this year my dear mum has offered to pay our entry fee's so give me a shout to my email maustokyo@gmail.com or text me +44 7896 868099! Find a race and I am there!
Keep the pledges coming!!!
* * *
RECOMMENDED
Mandala Yoga Ashram - anyone in the UK who wants to go deeper this is the place to go. I am going back in february for Karma Yoga week and longer. Cant wait!
Considering a trip to India too lately... love to get to the Satyananda Ashram in Bihar... their books are FANTASTIC!
Keep the pledges coming!!!
* * *
RECOMMENDED
Mandala Yoga Ashram - anyone in the UK who wants to go deeper this is the place to go. I am going back in february for Karma Yoga week and longer. Cant wait!
Considering a trip to India too lately... love to get to the Satyananda Ashram in Bihar... their books are FANTASTIC!
Monday, 23 January 2012
Diary entry 12/6/2011
My Dad said I should include more of the personal musings I often include in my letters to him so here goes ... erm ... something...
Dec 6th
After a mostly self-inflicted lovely but hectic day before - presents, treatment, running, then a comedy club with some family and friends - and not enough sleep by half somehow today I feel a real power & strength leaving for Japan. Writing Christmas cards I realise that this year has actually been utterly incredible really - my trip to the Lake District with the Willow Foundation, my (albeit belated) Japan trip in July, Mauritius with my father and lovely brother and sister, lots of wonderful support from my family in the UK & of course the most amazing one of all my alternative treatment fundraising success. When I think of all that the challenges I (it feels more like we now though) faced throughout the year: 2 months of chemo, my ill-fated colostomy reversa leading to the very disappointingly (at the time, now it doesnt seem to matter at all) cancelled japan trip in May, 3 visits to Accident & Emergency including rudely interrupting a hatha yoga courseI didnt even get to start at the ashram (quite the opposite physically I can tell you!) - just fall away into insignificance. I find myself with only one sentence hanging in the air, like a clean sock tumbling from its apex in the dryer: I wouldnt change a thing! If I did I'd have to give up the most incredible thing - the knowledge that I am loved & the feeling of being supported when a hippopotamus-like load is balanced precariously on your state of mind. The stress destroying positive energy in the comments and generosity of you all - family & friends across the globe - has been nothing short of overwhelming, allowing me to invest in my body even so deep as at a cellular level with some of the things it has given me the purchase power to do. And guess what? … digestive troubles aside I feel fantastic for it! Finally my fitness and energy levels are getting back to around June 2010 levels, the last time I was really physically fit enough to run 30 minutes. I have a long way to go but its a start…
When I think of my nephew Louis' cycling efforts raising over 1000 pounds so far, Josh & crew in Tokyo raising over 1500 with the help of all my amazing friends out there doing a party in my honour, plus all the individual donations and comments I feel something really intense happening. The earth feels like its moving, but around me & in support of me rather that falling away from under me - how I feel when I am buried in the mud of chemotherapy - or that the ground has given way beneath you - how it feels when you're suffering the post-op agony of major surgery. To the backdrop of that mire the kindness of this last year takes me far beyond thoughts of 'why me?', 'did I do this to myself?', 'what did I do wrong?', that so many fellow cancer patients seem to suffer with … I am left with the insight bursting through that my cancer far from being a curse is actually a gift - granted wrapped in a rather displeasing box. With it came unending love from my family, unfaltering and sometimes surprising support from friends even thousands of miles across the other side of the world and of course the grateful realisation that I am still one of the lucky ones - one of the luckiest I sometimes think - to not only have all this but also the beauty of natural all around me every day, which I appreciate like never before.
Thank you everyone from the bottom of my heart where I discover a little pulsating ball of increasingly bright light of a soul you know as Dave quietly resides, biding his time. For what only time will tell, but time is something we all have - NOW is never ending.
http://vimeo.com/34236830
* * *
ps. some books you might like...
Benjamin Hoff - The Tao of Poo & The Te of Piglet - officially my favourite book ever so far!!!
Eckhart Tolle - The Power of Now ... wonderful handbook how to live more in the present
Swami Nirmalanda - Yogic Management of Cancer ... has helped me so much this year!
Dec 6th
After a mostly self-inflicted lovely but hectic day before - presents, treatment, running, then a comedy club with some family and friends - and not enough sleep by half somehow today I feel a real power & strength leaving for Japan. Writing Christmas cards I realise that this year has actually been utterly incredible really - my trip to the Lake District with the Willow Foundation, my (albeit belated) Japan trip in July, Mauritius with my father and lovely brother and sister, lots of wonderful support from my family in the UK & of course the most amazing one of all my alternative treatment fundraising success. When I think of all that the challenges I (it feels more like we now though) faced throughout the year: 2 months of chemo, my ill-fated colostomy reversa leading to the very disappointingly (at the time, now it doesnt seem to matter at all) cancelled japan trip in May, 3 visits to Accident & Emergency including rudely interrupting a hatha yoga courseI didnt even get to start at the ashram (quite the opposite physically I can tell you!) - just fall away into insignificance. I find myself with only one sentence hanging in the air, like a clean sock tumbling from its apex in the dryer: I wouldnt change a thing! If I did I'd have to give up the most incredible thing - the knowledge that I am loved & the feeling of being supported when a hippopotamus-like load is balanced precariously on your state of mind. The stress destroying positive energy in the comments and generosity of you all - family & friends across the globe - has been nothing short of overwhelming, allowing me to invest in my body even so deep as at a cellular level with some of the things it has given me the purchase power to do. And guess what? … digestive troubles aside I feel fantastic for it! Finally my fitness and energy levels are getting back to around June 2010 levels, the last time I was really physically fit enough to run 30 minutes. I have a long way to go but its a start…
When I think of my nephew Louis' cycling efforts raising over 1000 pounds so far, Josh & crew in Tokyo raising over 1500 with the help of all my amazing friends out there doing a party in my honour, plus all the individual donations and comments I feel something really intense happening. The earth feels like its moving, but around me & in support of me rather that falling away from under me - how I feel when I am buried in the mud of chemotherapy - or that the ground has given way beneath you - how it feels when you're suffering the post-op agony of major surgery. To the backdrop of that mire the kindness of this last year takes me far beyond thoughts of 'why me?', 'did I do this to myself?', 'what did I do wrong?', that so many fellow cancer patients seem to suffer with … I am left with the insight bursting through that my cancer far from being a curse is actually a gift - granted wrapped in a rather displeasing box. With it came unending love from my family, unfaltering and sometimes surprising support from friends even thousands of miles across the other side of the world and of course the grateful realisation that I am still one of the lucky ones - one of the luckiest I sometimes think - to not only have all this but also the beauty of natural all around me every day, which I appreciate like never before.
Thank you everyone from the bottom of my heart where I discover a little pulsating ball of increasingly bright light of a soul you know as Dave quietly resides, biding his time. For what only time will tell, but time is something we all have - NOW is never ending.
http://vimeo.com/34236830
* * *
ps. some books you might like...
Benjamin Hoff - The Tao of Poo & The Te of Piglet - officially my favourite book ever so far!!!
Eckhart Tolle - The Power of Now ... wonderful handbook how to live more in the present
Swami Nirmalanda - Yogic Management of Cancer ... has helped me so much this year!
Wednesday, 18 January 2012
NEW YEAR, NEW CHALLENGES!!! I NEED YOUR HELP AGAIN...
Happy New Year! After a glorious month in Japan & 2 successful fundraising & inspiring events unfortunately my Year Of The Dragon started with rather disappointing news that my lung tumours are still growing, albeit only moderately quickly. So, another year of my anti-cancer challenge has begun, hopefully paired up with a whole lot of joy & creativity through some fundraising, learning and laugh-like-a-child fun. With your help. Unfortunately my fund is rapidly diminishing, I was informed by YesToLife that only 5000GBP remains & I have an important 2500GBP dental surgery to clean up chronic infections coming up next, yet another marker for my cancer and possibly the reason why my immune system seems unable to see my lung tumours, while being on the face of it very strong. I haven't been ill (except post-op or post-chemo of course) since before I was diagnosed & my allergies (caused by an unbalanced immune system) have all but disappeared. In fact this last few months I have been feeling fantastic, thanks in large part to you guys & girls and the money for the supplements, treatment and nutritious food I have been able to buy.
So, I have decided to combine raising money for some charities dear to me with hopefully continuing to add to my treatment fund pot. I would certainly like to continue the vitamin c & I have some other ideas to try too. Chemotherapy is still on hold for sure. I have decided to treat myself not the scan. Let's hope it works! So, this year I HAVE SET MYSELF THE CHALLENGE OF RUNNING 100KM OVER THE YEAR IN RACES on road or trail, which I hope to manage via a couple of 5k's, several 10k runs, a 15k or 2 and hopefully a half marathon towards the end of the year. I am thinking marathon next year maybe even (!!!), inspired by a fellow cancer survivor who did it last year just after getting her Stage 4 breast cancer diagnosis. What a trooper!
My first race will be February 19th in Kent so feel free to come and support if you are in the UK and can spare the time. My goal is to raise 10,000GBP or more over the year, so that means 100 people sponsoring me 1GBP per km. This money will go towards my treatment fund but also to some other wonderful causes close to my heart. The first is the Multiple Sclerosis Therapy Centre in Canterbury, currently trying to raise a million pounds to build a smart new centre for patients all over Kent to receive Hyperbaric Oxygen (also useful for cancer patients - I have tried it!) providing not only relief of the debilitating symptoms of this horrible disease but also giving those who cant work and who are often in a wheelchair somewhere they feel a real sense of community. I will also be donating a portion of the money raised to Willow Foundation who helped me have a wonderful weekend in the Lake District last year and who provide dream trips & days out for seriously ill young people. The final part will be donated to an orphanage in Japan, working with kids who lost their parents in the tsunami of 2011.
Please email your name, email address & pledge (e.g 1GBP per km) to: dave@mymtokyo.com - I will be collecting the pledged amounts according to completed distance in July and November.
e.g.
Dave Twomey . dave@mymtokyo.com . 1GBP
Stella Twomey . xxx@stellatwmey.com . 0.5GBP
So, I have decided to combine raising money for some charities dear to me with hopefully continuing to add to my treatment fund pot. I would certainly like to continue the vitamin c & I have some other ideas to try too. Chemotherapy is still on hold for sure. I have decided to treat myself not the scan. Let's hope it works! So, this year I HAVE SET MYSELF THE CHALLENGE OF RUNNING 100KM OVER THE YEAR IN RACES on road or trail, which I hope to manage via a couple of 5k's, several 10k runs, a 15k or 2 and hopefully a half marathon towards the end of the year. I am thinking marathon next year maybe even (!!!), inspired by a fellow cancer survivor who did it last year just after getting her Stage 4 breast cancer diagnosis. What a trooper!
My first race will be February 19th in Kent so feel free to come and support if you are in the UK and can spare the time. My goal is to raise 10,000GBP or more over the year, so that means 100 people sponsoring me 1GBP per km. This money will go towards my treatment fund but also to some other wonderful causes close to my heart. The first is the Multiple Sclerosis Therapy Centre in Canterbury, currently trying to raise a million pounds to build a smart new centre for patients all over Kent to receive Hyperbaric Oxygen (also useful for cancer patients - I have tried it!) providing not only relief of the debilitating symptoms of this horrible disease but also giving those who cant work and who are often in a wheelchair somewhere they feel a real sense of community. I will also be donating a portion of the money raised to Willow Foundation who helped me have a wonderful weekend in the Lake District last year and who provide dream trips & days out for seriously ill young people. The final part will be donated to an orphanage in Japan, working with kids who lost their parents in the tsunami of 2011.
Please email your name, email address & pledge (e.g 1GBP per km) to: dave@mymtokyo.com - I will be collecting the pledged amounts according to completed distance in July and November.
e.g.
Dave Twomey . dave@mymtokyo.com . 1GBP
Stella Twomey . xxx@stellatwmey.com . 0.5GBP
Sunday, 27 November 2011
OVER THE 20,000GBP MARK!!!!
OH ... MY ... GAWSH!!!
Once again my friends & family have raised the bar. First my Dad invites me over the Mauritius where he has been in retirement for 20 years now to have a holiday. Totally glorious, hanging with him, my step mum and my lovely lil' brother and sister in the paradise that it is.
Then I hear that my half nephew Louis has raised over 600 pounds for my fund... LEGEND! Great work Louis... am so honoured! Then just this week I received the payment of funds raised from a club event held in my honour at Module in Tokyo.
Over 1600GBP the total raised!!! so, we finally made the 20,000 pounds mark & far exceeded it now... that is one serious achievement...
AND ITS ALL DOWN TO YOU ALL!!!
THANK YOU SO MUCH Josh, Conoley, Craig, Bob, JZ, and all other supporting djs, performers and punters who came to support me!! A massive & well needed boost as I have used over 14,000GBP so far for my treatment since August. Almost as much of an achievement as raising it ... crikey... where has it all gone??? Mostly inside my cells I guess .. they must be very happy (I know I am!!!). Let's hope the scan in December will give us something to really smile about... I dont expect much at this stage but some small indications at least that the lung tumours are starting to disappear would be nice...
ONCE AGAIN this is one seriously Happy Dave!
I WILL beat this thing...
* * *
The kind words Josh wrote about me for this event follow. As my Dad & I agreed, the things we do we certainly dont for recognition - as Mother Theresa once said: 'The miracle isnt that we do these things but that we LOVE to do them!' - BUT it sure is nice!!! ...
''Dave Twomey has been an important part of the electronic music scene in Japan. His passion, love for music, support and dedication have helped to fuel the scene with positivity. As Dave has given so much to us, it is time for us to give back to him. "Say Yes to Life" is a benefit event, to be held at module on 11/19, which will support Dave and his fight to live. Not only will all proceeds be donated to Dave, we hope all of you will come with friends and dance the night away sending positive energy to Dave. Please join us for a special night of music and friends in support of Dave Twomey.''
''日本のエレクトロニックミュージックシーンで精力的に活動してきたDave Twomey。11月19日moduleにて開催される"Say Yes to Life"は音楽に対する情熱と愛情をシーンにそそぎ込んできたDaveへの恩返しのイベントとして、闘病中の彼を応援するために、全ての収益を寄付します。Dave Twomeyのために、大勢の仲間が集う一夜に、是非ご参加ください。''
Much love from the Key & Star of the Indian Ocean,
d.
CHECK THE TOTAL!!!
THANK YOUUUUUUUU!!!
Once again my friends & family have raised the bar. First my Dad invites me over the Mauritius where he has been in retirement for 20 years now to have a holiday. Totally glorious, hanging with him, my step mum and my lovely lil' brother and sister in the paradise that it is. Then I hear that my half nephew Louis has raised over 600 pounds for my fund... LEGEND! Great work Louis... am so honoured! Then just this week I received the payment of funds raised from a club event held in my honour at Module in Tokyo.
AND ITS ALL DOWN TO YOU ALL!!!
THANK YOU SO MUCH Josh, Conoley, Craig, Bob, JZ, and all other supporting djs, performers and punters who came to support me!! A massive & well needed boost as I have used over 14,000GBP so far for my treatment since August. Almost as much of an achievement as raising it ... crikey... where has it all gone??? Mostly inside my cells I guess .. they must be very happy (I know I am!!!). Let's hope the scan in December will give us something to really smile about... I dont expect much at this stage but some small indications at least that the lung tumours are starting to disappear would be nice...
ONCE AGAIN this is one seriously Happy Dave!
I WILL beat this thing...
* * *
The kind words Josh wrote about me for this event follow. As my Dad & I agreed, the things we do we certainly dont for recognition - as Mother Theresa once said: 'The miracle isnt that we do these things but that we LOVE to do them!' - BUT it sure is nice!!! ...
''Dave Twomey has been an important part of the electronic music scene in Japan. His passion, love for music, support and dedication have helped to fuel the scene with positivity. As Dave has given so much to us, it is time for us to give back to him. "Say Yes to Life" is a benefit event, to be held at module on 11/19, which will support Dave and his fight to live. Not only will all proceeds be donated to Dave, we hope all of you will come with friends and dance the night away sending positive energy to Dave. Please join us for a special night of music and friends in support of Dave Twomey.''
''日本のエレクトロニックミュージックシーンで精力的に活動してきたDave Twomey。11月19日moduleにて開催される"Say Yes to Life"は音楽に対する情熱と愛情をシーンにそそぎ込んできたDaveへの恩返しのイベントとして、闘病中の彼を応援するために、全ての収益を寄付します。Dave Twomeyのために、大勢の仲間が集う一夜に、是非ご参加ください。''
Much love from the Key & Star of the Indian Ocean,
d.
CHECK THE TOTAL!!!
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