Thanks for visiting my fundraising page.

 

Updated 7 October

My friend Lee who is central to my story passed away on 21 September after a 3 year and 4 day battle with brain cancer.  Thank you all for your donations.

 

chris

Updated 26 August

 

Thank you all for your donations and messages of support, they certainly helped spur me on during a very painful triathlon!  No doubt you will have viewed the pictures attached.  I think they show quite well the challenge of the day, it wasnt easy and being slightly off colour and the day being very hot and windy, it was far more difficult than I had envisaged.  However as I said in my first posting I wanted to ensure the fabulous donations made were for something that required blood, sweat and tears (and we had two of the three on the day!). 

The final total raised is still not known as there are still donations I know are going to be made through the website and donations I will receive direct to me which I will add to my account.  I hope to push past the £600 mark.  I'm really pleased with this and thank everyone for helping achieve this, it really means a lot to me.

Cancer Research is a great charity committed to improving the care for cancer sufferers and finding cures for all forms of cancer.  I personally think this is a most worthy charity; worthy of my own small effort and your significant generosity.  If you read my story on why I do these types of things you will no doubt recall my best friend Lee who has for the past three years been fighting a very agressive brain tumour.  Well today is Lee's 37th birthday.  Unfortunately over the course of the last 8 weeks Lee's condition has deteriorated.  He is still receiving treatment and still fighting.  We continue to hope and pray for a miraculous recovery.

I plan to continue my fund raising activities next year.  I'm currently plotting and planning for another triathlon.  All being well and if the dodgy knees hold up I'll no doubt be knocking on your doors (metaphorically speaking) and hoping you find the efforts I plan to put in for Cancer Research worthy of a donation. 

For informaton the website stays open until November so if you're ever at a loose end and theres no paint left to watch dry, please log on and take a look as I will update the website with the final figure raised.

 

Thanks everyone

Chris

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Updated 19 July.  A quick update on my preperation:

Training was going reasonably until around 4 weeks ago when I woke up with a sore and slightly swollen right knee.  As this knee was operated on in November last year I was quite concerned.  Training had to be stopped whilst I waited for the results of my MRI scan.  The scan results were mixed.  I have torn my cartilage, but its a small tear and I'm able to carry on with the training.  With that news I returned to training. 

A few weeks ago I completed my first open water swim session.  Swimming for the first ever time in a wet suit I managed to swim (very slowly) 1600m.  I left the session feeling very happy if a tad smelly!!  More updates will follow.

Thank you to everyone who has sponsored me so far.  Your generosity is greatly appreciated.  If you are new to my page please take a couple of minutes to read on and read my story to learn why I'm doing what I'm doing.

My story.....

I realise that lots of people do fund raising events, and in the current economic climate parting with hard earned cash is not something you will, or should do lightly.  However now you're here, I'd appreciate you taking the time to read why I'm doing what I'm doing and what my short and longer term goals are.  I hope you can relate to it and consider me, or more importantly what I'm aiming to do worthwhile enough to make a donation and help me achieve the fundraising target set.

I'm trying to raise money for Cancer Research.  I have chosen this charity as I believe we should do all we can to find more effective treatments and hopefully cures for this most devastating disease.  My story isn’t really mine.  Its a collection of events that, when put together have prompted me to dedicate time, every year (and hopefully numerous times per year) to raising funds and hopefully awareness.  Here goes...

The story starts back in 1991.  My grandfather died that year of bowel cancer.  He was 80, had fought in the second world war, had worked upto and including the day he was 65 and had survived a heart attack and stroke.  The manner of his death affected me deeply.  He suffered, which considering what he had already been through seemed very unfair.

In 2005 a very close auntie was diagnosed with cancer.  The prognosis was reasonably good.  She had treatment and was recovering when at the age of 53 she died of a blood clot, brought on by the treatment. 

In September 2006 my best friend collapsed at his home and was rushed to hospital.  For a few months previous he had been experiencing severe headaches.  Shortly before he collapsed he had an MRI scan.  This saved his life.  He collapsed due to a brain hemorrhage caused by a brain tumour.  His family was told he would not survive the operation to remove the tumour.  He not only survived, he was out of hospital and recuperating within 4 days.  A few days later he was given the devastating news that the tumour was the most aggressive form of cancer.  He embarked on radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatment and appeared to be on the road to full recovery when shortly before the two year anniversary he was given the news that the tumour had come back.  This was in August 2008.  Since this time he has had two further recurrences.  Each time he has been faced with this most difficult of challenges he has faced it head on.  My best friend is 36, married with two children, the youngest is four years old. 

I've no doubt my story is no different to many out there (the statistics say cancer will affect 1 in 3 at some point).  I also don’t know why its taken me until now to try and do my own small bit to try and help.  What I do know is that cancer is something that needs to be beaten, and the only way to do this is through research and more research.

Cancer Research are dedicated to improving the treatment for cancer patients and also searching for cures.  For this reason I plan to give a proportion of my time each year to try and raise funds to help them. 

Triathlon is my chosen discipline.  I've chosen this because it requires dedication and effort just in order to finish.  It requires commitment and time.  It also takes me completely out of my comfort zone (particularly as I have all the buoyancy attributes of a brick).  Its for these reasons I'm hoping you will choose to help me raise funds and help support the efforts of Cancer Research. 

I plan to update parts of this message to let you know how I'm getting on with the training!!

Please give whatever you can.

Thank you.

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