Dave's Blackpool Half Marathon page
David Blakeman is raising money for Brighter Futures
Story
Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.
In July 2016, following an upheaval in my personal life, I reconnected with some old friends/ family. Despite my own circumstances I learned of an ordeal they had been through and put my own issues into perspective. So I have decided to try and do something to help, after speaking with the family I have offered to try and raise some funds for their nominated charity.
Cancer affects 1 in 4 people in a life time.
The Charity has been setup to raise money to be able to equip the GWH Swindon with a radiotherapy unit.
Their story is:
Our family had just recently been though a tough time following a breast cancer diagnosis of our 64-year-old mum. This wasn't the first time but it was the biggest the cancer had become before detection. The stress the whole family went through waiting for preliminary results, surgery dates, consultations, surgery, recovery, final results and a treatment plan of radiotherapy, took its toll on not just Pat (Mum) but the whole family.
All hard to deal with but as it turned out, if radiotherapy was necessary, it was about to get harder. Swindon doesn't have a dedicated radiotherapy unit for cancer recovery. The nearest centers are Bath, Cheltenham and Oxford with Oxford being the main center. This means after dealing with all the emotional turmoil, surgery and recovery patients need to travel a couple of hours every day for weeks for life saving treatment. Undergoing radiotherapy and suffering the side effects whilst dealing with all the day to day things life throws at you. By car, public transport or volunteer transport it all means treatment isn't available in Swindon for Swindon cancer suffers.
I've decided to do something to help that, on April 23 2017, 3 weeks after my 40th Birthday I will run the Blackpool half marathon representing The Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Charitable Fund, to try and raise much needed money for a dedicated radiotherapy unit in Swindon. Although not directly affected by Cancer within my family, it touches nearly everyone in some way and the facts of this story and the limited places available for people to receive treatment seems silly in today's technology filled world.
Why the Blackpool Half marathon, well I completed this one in 2003 at the tender age of just 26, and to challenge myself I aim to return to beat my time of 1.47.13.
Any donations made will go to the charity as I have opted to pay all my own fees, travel, accommodation and expenses as this is my turn to give something back. Please help me and donate generously.
Thank you for reading my story.
Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.
In July 2016, following an upheaval in my personal life, I reconnected with some old friends/ family. Despite my own circumstances I learned of an ordeal they had been through and put my own issues into perspective. So I have decided to try and do something to help, after speaking with the family I have offered to try and raise some funds for their nominated charity.
Cancer affects 1 in 4 people in a life time.
The Charity has been setup to raise money to be able to equip the GWH Swindon with a radiotherapy unit.
Their story is:
Our family had just recently been though a tough time following a breast cancer diagnosis of our 64-year-old mum. This wasn't the first time but it was the biggest the cancer had become before detection. The stress the whole family went through waiting for preliminary results, surgery dates, consultations, surgery, recovery, final results and a treatment plan of radiotherapy, took its toll on not just Pat (Mum) but the whole family.
All hard to deal with but as it turned out, if radiotherapy was necessary, it was about to get harder. Swindon doesn't have a dedicated radiotherapy unit for cancer recovery. The nearest centers are Bath, Cheltenham and Oxford with Oxford being the main center. This means after dealing with all the emotional turmoil, surgery and recovery patients need to travel a couple of hours every day for weeks for life saving treatment. Undergoing radiotherapy and suffering the side effects whilst dealing with all the day to day things life throws at you. By car, public transport or volunteer transport it all means treatment isn't available in Swindon for Swindon cancer suffers.
I've decided to do something to help that, on April 23 2017, 3 weeks after my 40th Birthday I will run the Blackpool half marathon representing The Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Charitable Fund, to try and raise much needed money for a dedicated radiotherapy unit in Swindon. Although not directly affected by Cancer within my family, it touches nearly everyone in some way and the facts of this story and the limited places available for people to receive treatment seems silly in today's technology filled world.
Why the Blackpool Half marathon, well I completed this one in 2003 at the tender age of just 26, and to challenge myself I aim to return to beat my time of 1.47.13.
Any donations made will go to the charity as I have opted to pay all my own fees, travel, accommodation and expenses as this is my turn to give something back. Please help me and donate generously.
Thank you for reading my story.
Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.