Iris Week
Nationwide across Scotland
21st to 28th November 2009

This fund raising event has been established to offer gentle comfort oriented and treatment centred massage in locations across Scotland to anyone who has experienced cancer, including carers, to anyone working in the area of cancer care and to massage therapists. For more information on Iris Week, please go to www.lynneschallenge.co.uk

On Saturday 21 November, there will also be a Drop In Venue at the Eric Liddell Centre in Bruntsfield, Edinburgh where, in an informal and relaxed setting, you will be able to find out more about the great work being done by some of your Scottish national and local cancer charities, including Teenage Cancer Trust, and where  Massage Therapists will be able to obtain more information about specialised training to support people who have experience of cancer.

The funds raised here  and generally at Iris Week will go towards the appeal for a new Teenage Cancer Trust unit at Western General Hospital in Edinburgh. This Unit  will be for cancer patients aged 16 – 24.

In the meantime, a unit for younger teenagers (13 – 16 year olds) is expected to open  in mid 2009 at The Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh.  Teenage Cancer Trust is refurbishing an area at the hospital, expected to be complete in 2009. All funds for this Unit were raised locally by people like you and me.

There’s never a good time to get cancer, but for a teenager the timing seems particularly cruel. Young people can get some of the most rare and aggressive forms of cancer. The emotional upheaval of adolescence can make a cancer diagnosis even harder to cope with.

Every day in the UK, six young people will have to face that diagnosis. Teenage Cancer Trust understands that teenage cancer requires specialist care and in fact, that young people have a much better chance in their fight against cancer if they are treated by teenage cancer experts, in an environment tailored to their needs.

Teenage Cancer Trust builds units in NHS hospitals which improve the quality of life and chances of survival for young people with cancer. But as we receive no government funding, we rely on voluntary donations from people like you. It costs around £2million to build and equip a new unit. We estimate that with the units we currently have around the UK, only half of the teenagers diagnosed with cancer now have access to this dedicated, specialist support. Our aim is build enough units so that, by 2012, every single teenager with cancer will be treated on one.

For more information about TCT and how you can get involved, call Teenage Cancer Trust Ambassador, Lynne McNicoll on 07901 555 352

Donating through Justgiving is quick, easy and totally secure. It’s also the most efficient way to sponsor me: Teenage Cancer Trust gets your money faster and, if you’re a UK taxpayer, Justgiving makes sure 25% in Gift Aid, plus a 3% supplement, are added to your donation.

Thank you for your support - we really appreciate Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

So please dig deep and donate now.

Joyce Gillespie