Sometimes you have to go up really high to understand how small you are - Felix Baumgartner
This month Fearless Felix set the world record for skydiving an estimated 24 miles, reaching an estimated speed of 834 mph or Mach 1.24 ...the real life SKYFALL.
Felix along with the many people that are fighting cancer or terminal illnesses obviously lead extraordinary lives and once again reminded me of the importance of not wasting the talent and opportunities that you are given in life.
By completing my 'bucket list' of challenges I hope in some small way that I can help to enhance the lives of those with shorter lives and help to support other ordinary people and their families.
When over 23,500 children and young people across the UK are unlikely to reach adulthood, wouldn't it be time well spent if we can keep families together that little bit longer so they too can witness 'extraordinary' feats such as Fearless Felix.
Last month I did promise to update my blog earlier with details of my winter training schedule, once again I failed miserably however you can follow my progress on twitter @letsraiseamillion or visit my facebook page by following the link on my blog.
This month I want to focus on the great work of the charities that I am supporting and specifically two of these charities; The Clatterbridge Cancer Charity and Together for Short Lives.
As you know I am hoping to raise over £1million pounds for my chosen charities before the end of
2015.
These are the four leading cancer centres in the UK, the
Christie, Clatterbridge,the Royal Marsden and Weston Park Hospital and Together
for Short Lives the charity that supports all children and young people living
with terminal or life threatening illness.
The Clatterbridge Cancer Charity
The Clatterbridge Cancer Charity is the only charity raising money to directly benefit the patients of the Clatterbridge Cancer Centre- the leading cancer centre for Merseyside, Cheshire, Lancashire and the Isle of Man.
Coincidentally, I just happen to be a huge Liverpool F.C. fan, there are only two gods on my office wall, there were three until Owen decided to sign for ..............???
The Clatterbridge needs to raise £1.4m each year to provide outstanding cancer care to around 27,000 patients. The money that we raise together will help them provide the most up to date treatment, support vital research, treat patients with world class equipment and provide life-changing support services that would otherwise be unavailable.
Just last year,
amongst other projects, they have funded:
-
The refurbishment of the Mould Room
-
A wide range of research projects for ground-breaking cancer
treatments
-
Gym equipment to help in the rehabilitation of our younger
patients in the Teenage and Young Adult Ward
-
6 immobilisation ‘wing-boards’ for lung cancer patients undergoing
radiotherapy
-
Speech and language therapist to help patients experiencing
communication and swallowing difficulties following treatment
By supporting my challenges we can help the Clatterbridge Cancer Charity help change the
lives of people like Katie.
Katie was just four years old when she became so
lethargic and poorly her parents knew something was wrong. Katie was diagnosed
with a brain tumour. Over the exhausting and worrying times ahead Katie had to
undergo radiotherapy treatment, which due to her age, had to be given under
general anaesthetic. This made an already difficult experience even more
traumatic for Katie and her family.
Thankfully, Katie has now made a full
recovery and is a typical energetic and happy nine year old girl.
Katie’s
mum, Jeanette says “We’re so grateful for fantastic care and support we
received from everyone at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre. They made a
harrowing experience so much easier and I have no doubt that we wouldn’t have
Katie here today if it wasn’t them; we can’t thank them enough and urge
everyone to donate what they can this Christmas.”
The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre is the
only charity directly raising funds for Clatterbridge cancer patients across
their region
Help me to help them to offer the most up to date treatment, vital research,
world class equipment and life-changing support services by donating today.
You may also be interested in finding out more by visiting their web-site www.clatterbridgecc.org.uk or take a look at their events and activities;
Continuing our Bond theme why not book your table at the
Clatterbridge Bond Ball
Join them at their Bond Ball for an evening of
fabulous food, live entertainment and dancing until late at Luytens Crypt in
Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral
November is their annual Write a Will Month, local solicitors will
waive their fee for a simple Will in return for a £100 donation – visit their website to find a participating solicitor
near you
Together for Short Lives
Together for Short Lives are the UK voice for children and young people who are not expected to live to reach adulthood. They are there to ensure that families have the best quality care and support wherever they live and for long as they need it. The money that we will raise together will help directly help fund children with life-limiting and life threatening conditions and their families.
There are over 49,000 babies, children and young people in the
UK living with life-threatening and terminal conditions.
Hearing the
news that your child has a health condition that is life-threatening and may
shorten their life is devastating. Caring for a child - often 24 hours a day,
seven days a week – can place families under enormous emotional, physical and
financial strain. Relationships can suffer;
careers may have to be abandoned; well brothers and sisters can feel left out;
and normal family activities become almost impossible.
Families can
feel isolated and need care, support and information. Sadly many families struggle to get the care they
need, when and where they need it When time is precious, we believe that nothing should get in the way of the very best care and support for every child and their family. Families need help now and Together for Short Lives is here to support them.
From the
moment of diagnosis families can find support through our helpline, parent
guides, and on line information and resources helping them to get the best care
for their child and support for their family. We also work with children’s
hospice services, doctors and nurses through education, training and research
to make sure that care is of the highest standard.
By getting involved
with my fundraising efforts through Together for Life, your support will help touch the lives of seriously ill children in every
community of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Together we can
make it possible for every family to have the care and support they need for
every step of their journey – no matter how short.
New Film... Now is Good
A new film Now is Good launched last month which tells the story of
Tessa, a seventeen year-old with Leukaemia who has months to live. She
takes on the challenge of fast-forwarding her adolescence and makes a bucket
list of 10 things to do. Together for Short Lives have been working with Marie Curie and a
group of young people with life-threatening conditions, to look at the barriers
that exist which prevent them from making the most of life.
A young woman named Amy Claire has done a radio interview for Women’s hour to tell her own story including her own bucket list. In the interview Amy Claire
talks about living with her life-limiting condition and also about her bucket
list.
Click here to listen to Amy Claire:
Please help me to enhance the lives of others and these charities wonderful work through supporting my fundraising efforts by making a donation via the ' DONATION BUTTON' found on my home page.
Thank you & A Happy Halloween
Peter
