Yes, I am taking part in Tough Mudder on Saturday 4th May, as part of a team call Giggidy Giggidy Goo. Click on the link for more details.

Yes, some of the 12 obstacles featured in the 12 mile course include electric shocks, Ice baths, running through fire, and copious amounts of mud.

Yes, I did have to sign a waiver to remove any liability from the event organisers in case of injury or death.

Yes, I am bricking it!

No, I am NOT crazy!

Why am I doing this? Cause I fancied a challenge (just call me Challenge Aisha), and I think I’m just tough enough to do it (Grrrrr!). Well, I hope I am!

It also occured to me that taking part in this challenge can shine a spotlight on something bigger than just myself, so I’m once again raising money for the ACLT. I really believe in the work they do and I hope, by doing this more people will be enourage to be a  blood/bone/organ doner, and be more aware of the work the ACLT do.

The ACLT is a leading Leukaemia charity dedicated to raising awareness of the shortage of ethnic minority donors on the UK Bone Marrow, Organ and Blood registers.

Approx. donor numbers on the Anthony Nolan Register broken down by Ethnicity

Asian: 16,259

African and African Caribbean: 19,000

Mixed Raced: ???????

North European: 339,640

British/Irish: 21,994

Central/South European: 278

Eastern European: 906

Hispanic: 182

Mediterranean: 3,898

Middle Eastern: 703

Oriental: 1,488 

Approx. donor numbers on The British Bone Marrow Registry (BBMR):

Although the BBMR has 301,150 potential bone marrow donors on its registry just 14,449 are from the Minority Ethnic communities.

·         This equates to just 4.79% of potential bone marrow donors on the BBMR which is administered by the National Blood Service are from the BME (Black and Minority Ethnic) communities.

·         The other Bone Marrow Donor Registers around the world also experience this problem.

The ACLT provides valuable support to people suffering with blood cancers who face incredible odds in their worldwide search for a donor. For many, the odds are still around one in 100,000 in finding a match.

The long term aim of the ACLT is to educate and raise awareness about the importance of registering as potential bone marrow donors, blood and organ donations. Their work will enable worldwide donor searches on behalf of Black, Mixed Race and Ethnic Minority patients.

Funds raised will enable them to:

·         Continue the essential groundbreaking raising awareness and recruitment drive programmes

·         Help pay for future Bone Marrow, Blood and organ donation recruitment drives in association with the Anthony Nolan & National Blood Service

·         To raise awareness and recruit life savers at schools, colleges, universities, corporate organisations, government offices, community groups etc

·         Fronting Media Campaigns to raise awareness about Appeals on behalf of patients in the UK and overseas

So please dig deep and donate what you can!

Thank you so much for your support! 

Aisha xxx