The Bowfield Hotel & Country Club is getting in the saddle to support one of their members.Catherine Anderson, from Houston, has been a member of Bowfield gym and leisure club for 18 years. Catherine decided to run a Spinathon event with her friend Jennie McDermott, who is also a member at Bowfield.
This charity event will be held at Bowfield on Sunday 18th March. The challenge will be to keep 14 spin bikes going from 10am – 4pm. Visitors can pay £10 for a 30 minute slot, or £15 for one hour. It is hoped around £1,500 will be raised.
Photo: Jennie McDermott, Catherine Anderson & Bowfield’s Rachel Colborn
The Spinathon is preparing the two friends for a bigger challenge. They are taking a part in the London to Paris Cycle on 6th – 9th September 2018. The friends aim to use the 240 mile cycle to raise money and awareness for Women v Cancer, an organization which incorporates cervical, ovarian and breast cancer research. They are targeted to raise over £3,000 between them, and the Bowfield Spinathon will get their fundraising off to a racing start.
Catherine, 42, was diagnosed with breast cancer last year. With no history of cancer in her family, the diagnosis came as a shock, and also because she felt the fittest she had ever been.
She felt a lump on her right side but never thought it was serious. Then she noticed it getting bigger and after completing a cycle from Glasgow to Edinburgh, it felt painful. Catherine mentioned it to a friend who persuaded her to get it checked out.
Catherine discovered she had three tumors and an uncommon form of cancer, called triple negative. This aggressive strain of the disease is often more common in younger women.
Catherine received her results the day before going on a family holiday to Florida with her husband, Alan, and their two children, Lucy 12, and Katie 9. When the family returned home, they went ahead with their planned house move, which saw them moving into rented accommodation, and Catherine started her treatment.
The SVQ Assessor for Childcare was off work for 10 months while she received six rounds of chemotherapy, radiotherapy, a mastectomy and reconstructive surgery. She returned to work last September on a phased return. While she was on holiday last October in Hong Kong, she contracted whooping cough and felt ill during November and December, and she also had more reconstructive surgery in December. Any cycling training had to be on hold until she recovered.
Catherine has remained positive, saying everyone has supported her from her family and friends to her employer, and the team at the Bowfield.
Photo: Ready, Steady, Go: (Left to Right) Jennie McDermott, Catherine Anderson & Bowfield’s Rachel Colborn
She’s now feeling better, getting her cycling training underway and looking forward to having a challenge to aim for.
She said, “I’m feeling the best I’ve felt in a long time, but I’ll need to work on my fitness. We’re not cyclists, we’re not part of a club or anything, we’re doing the London to Paris cycle purely for charity. It will be a massive challenge, and I’m grateful Jennie will be there with me”.
It’s been a tough time for Catherine’s daughters, and the girls have their own plans for raising money. Katie is holding a cake sale at the Spinathon and older daughter Lucy wants to climb Ben Nevis in May.
Catherine said, “It’s been a hard time for them, but it’s good for them to see some positivity and to see me getting fit again. Everyone was shocked when I got this diagnosis and said if it could happen to me, it could happen to anyone. I’ve always been a positive person, and I want to give something back. I’ve been talking about what happened to me, and I want to raise as much awareness as I can”.
Rachel Colborn, Leisure Supervisor, Bowfield Hotel said, “We’re delighted to help Catherine and Jennie with their challenge, and we’ve got many supportive members who are getting behind the Spinathon. We’re looking forward to a big turnout and hopefully lots of money will be raised for a great charity”.
The Bowfield Spinathon takes place on Sunday 18th March from 10am – 4pm. There will also be cakes, a raffle, and opportunities for massages, to help any tired limbs recover from the cycle challenge.
To donate to the Spinathon and the London to Paris Cycle Challenge, please contact Bowfield Hotel at: Bowfieldhotel.co.uk.