Erin Fox

11:27 (1 minute ago)

to me

This July, I'm taking part in Brain Tumour Research’s 88 squats a day fundraiser with my aunt Michelle to raise vital funds for research into brain tumours.

Having a loved one being diagnosed with a brain tumour is one of those surreal things you never think will happen to your family.

When my aunt Michelle was diagnosed with a grade 3 brain tumour in January 2023, it felt like a loss. All I could think about was all the time and precious moments we’d miss out on with her. But I also learned that if you focus too much on the loss of the future, you will miss out on celebrating the present.

Michelle is more like a big sister than an aunt. Whenever we spend time together, we always make the most of it. And this tumour hasn't stopped us from continuing to have cherished time together or taken away how important she is to us.

Our Shelly has had a fiery optimism as she's navigated her diagnosis, surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy the last three and a half years. The grace and strength of which she’s carried this is nothing short of admirable.

Michelle held a charity fundraiser on her 50th birthday two years ago for The Brain Tumour Charity and Maggie's Cancer Support Centre. This year, she's become a godmother for the second time to her own god daughter's (my sister's) wee boy. And I'm proud my dear aunty will be my Matron-of-honour at my wedding.

My bum is going to be absolutely killing me this July with the 88 squats challenge. But I don’t care if I wake up with a sore bum every day, because I’m proud to power through those aches to help raise awareness of brain tumours and raise vital funds for research.

As it so happens, the fundraiser begins while I'm hiking in the Alps, so I may have to halve my squats for the first 3 days and make up for it for the rest of the month. (But hoisting my legs up mountains counts too right?!)

If you'd like to support my fundraiser, you can contribute here. Every little helps, including what you pay for a morning coffee. It goes a long way improving the lives of people impacted by a brain tumour.