Norma de Bidaph, who runs the Gearlink Kawasaki motorbike team with her husband Michael, features in the Lives & Times book. Norma is in remission from bowel cancer and has undergone two operations in her cancer fight. We first came into contact after Norma bought the first book Beating Bowel Cancer. She is a keen fundraiser for bowel cancer charities and has been especially supportive of my fundraising efforts.
The chapter on Norma in the book moves away from the celebrity angle of many of the chapters and shows how the book contains chapters on the everyday person as well. She invited me to the Thruxton Circuit to a round of the British Superbikes Championship. In the chapter I describe our meeting, Norma's successful battle with bowel cancer and my whole experience including my efforts to photograph the motorbikes that were flying past at speeds in excess of 200mph. It was much easier to photograph, Ben Wilson, one of the Gearlink team in the team's garage! :)
Like many who have battles with cancer Norma doesn't consider herself brave, but just having to face the illness head on. I found her truly inspirational, and the affection she is held in by everyone associated with the sport was shown time and time again during the day. She is absolutely lovely and looked after me very well in spite of being on the go non-stop all day. I am looking forward to returning to a race meeting and seeing Norma again sometime soon.
To see how you can buy a copy of Lives & Times click here. ALL proceeds raised are donated to the Beating Bowel Cancer charity. The book has raised over £700 so far.
No comments:
Post a Comment