People & Lifestyle story, October 2005
| WALKING TALL
ON THE WALL
Jennifer Sheldon proves she’s well in step when it comes to raising cash for prostate disease research. As appeared in the Mid-Somerset News By: Andrea Kon |
When Jennifer Sheldon’s husband Richard died three years ago, she was determined to fulfil his dying wish to work to fund research into prostate cancer, the disease that killed him.
Now, not only is Jennifer, 64, on the board of trustees of Prostate Research Campaign UK (the only British charity to fund research into all prostate disease), but she has just completed a sponsored walk 84 miles from coast to coast across Hadrian’s Wall with 28 other active supporters of the campaign, and raised an astonishing £7,000.
Jennifer, who lives in Pilton, says: “When Richard died, he had had prostate cancer for six years. He seemed to be responding to treatment, but during the last three months when I realised he was dying I thought ‘this is awful and something has to be done about it.’ I was shocked at the lack of people’s knowledge about prostate cancer and so Richard and I discussed the future. We had both worked for charity all our lives and we were determined that other people shouldn‘t have to go through what we went through. We wanted people to be informed and for money to be made to research all prostate disease.”
Around 30,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer in Britain every year and 10,000 men die annually as a result of the disease. A simple blood test known as a PSA (the initials stand for prostate specific antigen), will indicate whether cancer might be present - and if the levels suggest there is a problem a biopsy can be taken to get a proper diagnosis.
Additionally, about 80 per cent of all men over the age of 60 will suffer from an enlarged prostate, a condition known as benign prostate hyperplasia or BPH, which will cause them problems. Yet they can be cured with surgery or drug therapy. And men of any age can suffer prostatitis, a painful inflammation of the prostate.
Says mother-of-three Jennifer: “My daughter, Emma, 35, walked with me and part of the impetus to keep going was not to let her get too far up front. It was a ‘pride’ thing. It was fine for the youngsters who were doing the five day walk as a ‘holiday thing’ but at my age it was quite a challenge.
“I was given a book detailing the walk before I started but I didn’t read beyond the first few pages so I was quite surprised when I realised the rocky and hilly terrain we had to cover across the Pennines on the middle part of the walk.”
But despite the physical exertion needed, the petite grandmother of five didn’t loose any weight on her trek. “I don’t eat much, and on the first morning when offered a full English breakfast, I said: “No thank you.” My daughter hurriedly interjected with - “She’ll have it all”. And I did. After that I had breakfast, lunch and dinner every day - and we had parties every night so there was a lot of drink about. But I still managed not to gain or loose a single pound. We were told the walk was 84 miles but one of my co-walkers wore a pedometer and it registered 94 miles at the end. We completed it in four days, not the five or six that is considered standard.
“The walk was brilliant. I loved the camaraderie - and the purpose of it all.”
If you would like to boost Jennifer Sheldon’s amazing total for Prostate Research Campaign or would like more information about prostate disease, write to Prostate Research Campaign UK, 10 Northfields Prospect, Putney Bridge Road, London SW18 1PE or visit their website at www.prostate-research.co.uk