I’ve cycled LEJOG twice. I’ve shaved off all my hair. I’ve baked dozens of cakes…
But it’s not enough.
I’ve already raised over £15,000 for a range of charities – principally the MS Society, as my mother has Secondary Progressive MS (read about how this affected me here). Since writing this, things haven’t got better – the type of MS my mum has is degenerative and is only going to go in one direction. But I can’t sit down and do nothing. If I can raise funds to help others in my situation – if I can play even a tiny role in finding a meaningful cure – then at least something good will have come out of my pain. I’ve been considering what to do next for several years now.
Then, last year, I had a mental health breakdown (see some words I wrote about this here). When I started sharing my experiences online so many people came out of the woodwork with their own mental health story. Friends, family, colleagues – I learned that I wasn’t alone. But I also learned how much pain people people suffer in silence – how much we bottle up, and how serious the consequences of this can be. And if there’s something I can do – by sharing, by talking, and by raising money to support those who need it… then maybe the hell I went through will have been worth it.
So there it is. I can’t fix my mum. I can’t make depression and anxiety disappear. But I can’t do nothing. I am fundraising for several charities - this page is for the MS Society.
If you would like to find out about other charities I am fundraising for visit www.antonyjcbutcher.com. Anything you can give for this worthy cause, be it 50p or £50, would be greatly appreciated.
