Story
So who are we and why are we helping teenagers and young people with cancer in Yorkshire?
Why are VFM doing this?
VFM are undertaking this challenge to raise lots and lots of money for the Teenage Cancer Trust (TCT). This is because we believe that the TCT can make a real difference to the care of young people with cancer and we feel the facilities presently provided are not appropriate to the needs of this special group. We are cutting Cornwall in half from the 19th to the 21st May 2010 for two main reasons: 1. It is a unique challenge that involves canoeing up the River Fowey, marching over moorland, mountain biking across country and canoeing down the River Camel. All this to be done in a specified way and against the clock. 2. Cornwall deserves a good dissectionWho’s involved?
Ian Fairbairn – “My family has been in Cornwall for at least 400 years and I was born and bred there. So I think it’s time we made a few small changes – like cutting it in half.”Mark Grimshaw – “Anyone who knows me would describe me as a bit of an “action man” and this looks like a great challenge; but what do we do with the two halves after we’ve finished?”Jon Kerley – “I don’t want to do this Sheffield United should be playing at Wembley on these dates – Ian’s making me do this instead. Please help.” Graham Walker – “I have never been to Cornwall. I have been told they may not let me in - if they know we are going to cut it in half they won’t!”Geoff Heney – “I don’t know anything about this.” Clive Naylor – “I am quite upper class and don’t normally do this sort of thing but I’ve been told that all the working class people will be in the half that floats of to sea, so I suppose it’s worth it.”Dominic Clifford – “I’ve only been at VFM for 3 months. If I don’t do this they’ll fire me.”Javier Hernandez - “I live in Madrid and my English is very poor. I am told this will be a big advantage in Cornwall. I am going to take my half back to Spain and park it next to Majorca.”Mark Fairbairn – “Ian is my Dad. He says if I don’t go I will get kicked out of my (free) bedroom at home.”
Teenage Cancer Trust in Yorkshire
At Teenage Cancer Trust, we understand that young people with cancer require specialist care.We know how damaging it is to take a young person away from their everyday life, their friends, their environment, their family – and put them in a cancer ward with small children or older people.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. So we’re working every day to make that happen.Building specialist unitsWe don’t believe that teenagers should have to stop being teenagers, just because they have cancer. So we fund and build specialist units for young people in NHS hospitals. Our units bring teenagers with cancer together with loads of new friends of their own age so they can support each other.Alongside all of this is a medical team of teenage cancer specialists who pool knowledge to create a body of expertise that’s second to none. They’re backed up by our Nurse Consultants who provide clinical care, develop research, deliver professional education and ensure that standards remain as high as possible.Teenage Cancer Trust units aren’t like ordinary cancer wards. Everything about them has been designed to give teenagers the very best chance of a positive outcome. We want every young person with cancer in this country to have that chance.Our aimWe estimate that with the units we currently have around the UK, half of the teenagers diagnosed with cancer now have access to this dedicated, specialist support. Our aim is to build enough units so that by 2012, every teenager in the UK will be treated on one.For more information on TCT services in and around the Yorkshire or Midlands area, contact Heather Bowen, Regional Appeals Manager 07535 684192 or email heather.bowen@teenagecancertrust.org
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