Story
RUNNING THE SHEFFIELD HALF MARATHON FOR THE SHEFFIELD LEUKAEMIA & BLOOD DISORDERS APPEAL
Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.
28th April 2010
Well done it... 2 hours 17 minutes so not too bad. I actually enjoyed it and might just do another to try and break two hours!
Thank you so much everyone for sponsoring me, just over £3k in total so far and hopefully a little bit more to come yet...
Feb 25th 2010
Fresh poignancy has been added to this appeal as today I attended the funeral of a good friend of mine, who I met in the Haematology department of the Hallamshire Hospital. Glynis Bryan was a fine, kind and brave woman who refused to be brought down by her illness, and tragically after a long battle finally succumbed, very much on her own terms, to her illness. I have spent many a day sat on the day ward with her, having treatments & transfusions. My hopefully decreasing visits there will be all the poorer for her absence.
I saw her last week and told her about my fundraising. I promised to do the run with her name on my T Shirt, this is something I am proud to say she drew some pleasure from. Therefore I shall dedicate my run to Glynis and her memory.
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As most of you will know I have spent much of the last couple of years either in or visiting the Hallamshire Hospital Haematology department, I am currently one of the lucky ones (due in very large part to the efforts of all of the staff, from JAS, to the nursing staff, to the drinks trolley ladies (not necessarily in order of course, before I get shouted down the next time I’m in!)). I am now feeling and doing considerably better, although I continue to be a frequent visitor. My illness is in abeyance so it seems appropriate to try and give something back, as well as hopefully show others with these diseases that it is not always a bad outcome and positives can come from these terrible situations. As I am also a pragmatic man I might also help myself get a nicer room, bed and real coffee (some chance) if the unthinkable ever happens.
I don’t intend this to be the last thing I do of this nature but a more gentle start seems appropriate (in Feb 2008 I remember managing 4 minutes on the exercise bike I insisted having at the side of my hospital bed. So it is certainly an improvement!) therefore I will be doing the Sheffield Half Marathon on the 25th April 2010 for The Sheffield Leukaemia and Blood Disorders Appeal.
The Haematology department treats many illnesses (mostly very serious) such as leukaemia, myeloma, lymphoma and other blood disorders, amongst them Aplastic Anemia which is as it happens is close to my own heart. I speak from experience when I say that the quality and the level of care given to the patients is second to none. I have made many great friends during my illness, some tragically who have not survived. But if it’s possible to have a big family atmosphere in something as alien and stressful as a hospital, then this department is it and deserves (and needs) all of the help that we can give.
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.
Finally I want to say a big thank you to the fantastic staff who have treated (and tolerated) and continue to treat me so well. I am more grateful than I have sometimes maybe appeared. Although I hope you all knew that really.
Remember giving money is only part of helping, give blood (I have had enough blood transfusions to fill 10 people and am ashamed that I never gave blood before, and now I cannot. But you probably can!) and of course become a bone marrow donor (http://www.anthonynolan.org.uk/), you might save a life. It might even be mine.
Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.
28th April 2010
Well done it... 2 hours 17 minutes so not too bad. I actually enjoyed it and might just do another to try and break two hours!
Thank you so much everyone for sponsoring me, just over £3k in total so far and hopefully a little bit more to come yet...
Feb 25th 2010
Fresh poignancy has been added to this appeal as today I attended the funeral of a good friend of mine, who I met in the Haematology department of the Hallamshire Hospital. Glynis Bryan was a fine, kind and brave woman who refused to be brought down by her illness, and tragically after a long battle finally succumbed, very much on her own terms, to her illness. I have spent many a day sat on the day ward with her, having treatments & transfusions. My hopefully decreasing visits there will be all the poorer for her absence.
I saw her last week and told her about my fundraising. I promised to do the run with her name on my T Shirt, this is something I am proud to say she drew some pleasure from. Therefore I shall dedicate my run to Glynis and her memory.
*******************************************************************
As most of you will know I have spent much of the last couple of years either in or visiting the Hallamshire Hospital Haematology department, I am currently one of the lucky ones (due in very large part to the efforts of all of the staff, from JAS, to the nursing staff, to the drinks trolley ladies (not necessarily in order of course, before I get shouted down the next time I’m in!)). I am now feeling and doing considerably better, although I continue to be a frequent visitor. My illness is in abeyance so it seems appropriate to try and give something back, as well as hopefully show others with these diseases that it is not always a bad outcome and positives can come from these terrible situations. As I am also a pragmatic man I might also help myself get a nicer room, bed and real coffee (some chance) if the unthinkable ever happens.
I don’t intend this to be the last thing I do of this nature but a more gentle start seems appropriate (in Feb 2008 I remember managing 4 minutes on the exercise bike I insisted having at the side of my hospital bed. So it is certainly an improvement!) therefore I will be doing the Sheffield Half Marathon on the 25th April 2010 for The Sheffield Leukaemia and Blood Disorders Appeal.
The Haematology department treats many illnesses (mostly very serious) such as leukaemia, myeloma, lymphoma and other blood disorders, amongst them Aplastic Anemia which is as it happens is close to my own heart. I speak from experience when I say that the quality and the level of care given to the patients is second to none. I have made many great friends during my illness, some tragically who have not survived. But if it’s possible to have a big family atmosphere in something as alien and stressful as a hospital, then this department is it and deserves (and needs) all of the help that we can give.
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.
Finally I want to say a big thank you to the fantastic staff who have treated (and tolerated) and continue to treat me so well. I am more grateful than I have sometimes maybe appeared. Although I hope you all knew that really.
Remember giving money is only part of helping, give blood (I have had enough blood transfusions to fill 10 people and am ashamed that I never gave blood before, and now I cannot. But you probably can!) and of course become a bone marrow donor (http://www.anthonynolan.org.uk/), you might save a life. It might even be mine.