Hai!  I’m Mook (Emma in the real world). In April of this year, I was diagnosed with stage 3 cancer, where I underwent radical treatment of radiotherapy and chemotherapy (and brachytherapy at Bristol). This is the reason I’m raising money for The Beacon Centre, Musgrove Park Hospital, Somerset, where I have been, and continue to be treated.

The current appeal for Love Musgrove (official charity for the hospital) is to raise funds to buy more treatment chairs. So more patients like myself can have a chance of being free of cancer, have a better quality of life with cancer, or more time with their loved ones.  These chairs cost around £2000. They currently have 24 but want to increase this to 36. These chairs get used between 2-6 times a day, 358 days a year, meaning each chair could be used around 2,000 times a year.

I’ve set myself an ambitious target of raising £2020. Why £2020?  I would love to end this year on a positive. Not just for myself, but for all those people that will be waiting to get treated due to the backlog from the pandemic.  Reaching that total means one more chair in the Beacon Centre Day unit.  It would mean up to 6 more people in one day will get treatment. A £30 donation would cover the cost of providing a chair for 5 days worth of treatments, covering up to 30 treatments.

I can't imagine having to wait for treatment, and the anxiety that causes patients and their loved ones. I feel incredibly lucky to have been treated so swiftly, and wouldn't wish this on anyone.  My treatment was brutal, but I would have it again in a heartbeat if I had to. From going to my local doctor's to the hospital, every member of staff has been amazing.  Without their care and compassion, and the incredible virtual support from friends and family (as I had to shield), my treatment would've been much more of a struggle.

I plan to start my stream on Saturday 14th November at 8pm, and continue streaming for 24 hours until Sunday 15th November at 8pm.  However, if I cannot stream on this date, I will re-arrange it for as soon as I am able, as currently after a 3 month post treatment MRI scan, it has revealed I have an abnormality.  They are not sure if this is post surgical changes or something else.  

During the stream, I will be taking regular breaks, and I will be playing a variety of games.  These will be announced closer to the date.  Keep an eye on here or my social media for updates.

If you’re not in a position to donate, please consider sharing across your social media, preferably with a little comment as to why you’d like someone who may have the ability, to donate to my cause.

Take care, stay safe and look after each other.  Thank you.

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Love Musgrove is the Official Charity of Musgrove Park Hospital. Each year the Hospital treats over 450,000 patients through its emergency department, on its wards and through its outpatient services. Although the Hospital is funded by the NHS, it is vital that we raise additional funds to improve our services, purchase new equipment and continue to provide a positive environment for both patients and their families. Donations made in support of Love Musgrove have a real and tangible impact on the people of Somerset and beyond!