Happy New Year

Well its a great big hello from all the team in Fundraising; Alice, Mel, Nicky S, Dean Jen and myself Gemma and of course from Bertie too. Wishing all our fundraisers a wonderful and happy new year celebration and a fabulous 2009. Good luck with all your training, your plans and your promises, and let's make the 40th anniversary of Leukaemia CARE one to remember!

As ever, for help information or support with a leukaemia, lymphoma or a myeloma call 0800 169 6680 or visit www.leukaemiacare.org.uk
"Happy New Year Everyone! Remember to keep supporting Leukaemia CARE on its 40th anniversary year and let us know your plans!"

Update on the Santathon

Congratulations Santas! Even though we don't organise the Santathon as a race there are those of you who have a competitive streak. We aren't able to take note of individual times but a special congratulations must go to the 1st and 2nd place adult runners Jason Howell and Hannah Train and the 1st and 2nd place child runners Scott Law and Lewis Roberts. If you didn't pick up your prize please let us know so we can post it out to you!

Last year the event raised £26,000 with 480 participants, which was wonderful! But, only 40% returned any sponsorship. The entry fee only covers our costs so it is really important that people remember Leukaemia CARE over the Christmas period and send in their sponsorship. The deadline is 31st January.

Happy Christmas and Happy New Year!

For help information or support with a leukaemia, lymphoma or a myeloma call 0800 169 6680 or visit www.leukaemiacare.org.uk

Santathon 2008

This week has been a very very busy week here at Leukaemia CARE as we have our 5k Santathon on Sunday 7th December. We have had lots of people visiting the office to collect their Santa suit and entering the run making the total of 569 runners.

We will update the Blog after the event with photos of our Santas running the streets of Worcester, Evesham and Dagenham.

Will let you know how it goes.

For help information or support with a leukaemia, lymphoma or a myeloma call 0800 169 6680 or visit www.leukaemiacare.org.uk

Something in the water in Water Orton?

Helen Louisa says:
"Small world. Just read the blog about fundraiser Lisa Borland from Water Orton. Im from Water Orton Road just up the hill. (where i lived for 19 years) It is a small world. Or maybe there is something in the water that makes us fundraisers in the area!"
So answers on a postcard please... who else is from Water Orton and who likes fundraising? Do we have a top 5 sites in the UK for fundraisers?
Gemma

For help information or support with a leukaemia, lymphoma or a myeloma call 0800 169 6680 or visit www.leukaemiacare.org.uk

Lisa Borland recently sent a cheque for over £270, money which she raised for Leukaemia CARE at her 40th Birthday celebrations last weekend at the Dog Inn in Water Orton, Birmingham.
Lisa: "My mum was diagnosed with Myelodysplasia in Oct 02 so the search then began for a bone-marrow donor but mum took a turn for the worse and at Christmas we were given the devastating news it had developed to AML. It was too late for her to receive a transplant so she started a trial of an intense course of chemotherapy but caught an infection which she was too weak too fight. Mum passed away on 26th Jan 03 aged 55. I decided to do this for Leukaemia CARE in memory of my mum as I needed her to be a part of my celebrations somehow and this was the perfect answer. I set up a just giving web page for donations and my local pub (where I was having the party) and I organised a raffle and then the darts team organised a knockout tournament with player’s paying to enter. Money was also raised by the darts team asking people to play a lottery type card with the proceeds being donated but most of the winner’s donated their prize as well. The Leukaemia CARE website provided me with a lot of information and even though I could not find the words to post on the forum or phone the CARE line I took great comfort reading the forum and felt that others understood and were there to help if I needed. I hope this donation will play a small part in Leukaemia CARE being able to carry on with their great work."

Leukaemia CARE would like to say a great big thank you to you and your supporters, including everyone at the Dog Inn. We hope your journey gets easier with time, we'll be thinking of you. Please remember to call on us whenever you need to.

For help information or support with a leukaemia, lymphoma or a myeloma call 0800 169 6680 or visit www.leukaemiacare.org.uk

Santathon in Worcester, Dagenham and Evesham!

Look out!
The Leukaemia CARE Santathon is coming!

Every year since 2003 there has been a fantastic Christmas Fun Run in Worcester and more recently in Dagenham and Evesham too. But this year we're calling it the Santathon because it's for all ages, all levels, runners, non runners... basically you can Stroll it! Walk it! Run it!

How to take part

To find out more about this event download your entry form and return it quickly. We will make sure you get a sponsorship form in the post/by email. Or you can telephone the Fundraising Team on 0845 389 2409.

Picture gallery

Check out the pictures from last year's event at our Picture Gallery here!

Children and adults can take part for £5 and £10 and businesses are invited to challenge each other to a bit of friendly competition by entering a team; everyone gets a free santa suit upon entry

Your nearest Santathon

Look out for a Santathon at Worcester City Football Club, Dagenham & Redbridge Football Club and in Evesham. More information to follow.

For help information or support with a leukaemia, lymphoma or a myeloma call 0800 169 6680 or visit www.leukaemiacare.org.uk

Helen Louisa's 100 mile quest - update

God love her, Helen Louisa is past the quarter stage and going strong!
We're all thinking of you Helen!
To see how she's getting on visit her blog and don't forget to sponsor either by visiting her just giving site.

For help information or support with a leukaemia, lymphoma or a myeloma call 0800 169 6680 or visit www.leukaemiacare.org.uk

London to Paris Cycling Challenge

Taken from an email received from Tammy Felstead on 25th September, who completed the London to Paris Cycling Challenge for her sister Jessica.

If you want to see kindness in others, do an event for charity!

I recently completed the London to Paris Cycling Challenge so I could raise funds for Leukaemia Care, at first I thought the £1,100 target was going to be impossible, but with the help of my family, friends and work colleagues I managed to raise over that amount.
Doing an event such as this one requires a lot of work, there is the fundraising, the training – which the English weather didn’t always make pleasant, and then there is your own personal fight with your inner doubt and lack of self belief that you can actually do it.
All the hard work aside, the rewards of completing such a task are worth every single effort.
More importantly knowing that the money you have raised is going to help people who need it the most, is an overwhelming feeling.

Why did I choose Leukaemia Care? My sister Jessica was diagnosed with a rare type of the disease when she was just 9 months old, the years which followed were extremely difficult for the whole of my family, especially for my parents, who had to learn how to put feeding tubes into a crying baby who just didn’t want the tube to be there, they had to deal with her not eating, not sleeping, then all the visits to the hospitals, on top of that the uncertainty of whether or not she would eventually be free of the illness. Luckily as a family (Jessica is the youngest of 7 siblings) we all managed to support each other and stick together. The older children would do the babysitting, help with the housework and cooking, and the other small toddler seemed to have a sense that something was wrong and was always on her best behaviour; in fact it was this same toddler who is now 13, who was imperative in the fundraising campaign, managing to raise £100 with an event she organised and had held at her High School. Other people who were equally paramount in helping me raise the funds were my Mum and one of my other sister’s Laura, as well as all my work colleagues and my agency APL.

To know that the money is now being used to help other sufferers and their families is an immensely gratifying feeling and I am happy that I have been able to contribute in this way. I would advise anyone who is looking to do something of this scale to first make sure they train, so they can really truly enjoy the experience, but, mostly I would advise them to have fun and really enjoy what they are doing.

I plan now to try and do some volunteering work with the charity and hopefully be able to do the Paris to Geneva cycle challenge next year.

Pictures are taken of the event, Tammy with her sister Jessica and sister Donna who helped with the fundraising.

For help information or support with a leukaemia, lymphoma or a myeloma call 0800 169 6680 or visit www.leukaemiacare.org.uk

Helen Louisa's 100 mile quest

Fellow blogger and fundraiser Helen Louisa first contacted Leukaemia CARE about a year ago to recycle stamps at her workplace The London School of Economics. She has now set herself a much bigger challenge. She says:

In May 2008, I said I would run 100 miles (160KM) in organised races over the next year, ending with the FLORA LONDON MARATHON 2009 to raise money for the fantastic charity Leukaemia CARE.

I am not built like a runner and the longest distance I've ever run was 10K in 2005, but I do love a good challenge and this sure beats watching TV all day!

You can sponsor her at http://www.justgiving.com/helenlouisajordan or you can visit her blog http://www.helen-louisa.blogspot.com/

You can read about her recent runs (the Dulwich 5k, Blackheath 5k, Vision 5k Hackney, Beckenham Trail 10k) and her training on her blog. With another 84.5 miles still to clock up we're all wishing you the very best of luck Helen! As someone who ran my first 5k last month I'm absolutely amazed by that kind of commitment: Go Helen! Let us know how you get on ok?

Well done Helen for passing the quarter way stage of your 100 mile quest. Have a look at Helen's blog to see the latest photos.

For help information or support with a leukaemia, lymphoma or a myeloma call 0800 169 6680 or visit www.leukaemiacare.org.uk

Here is a story from our fundraiser Linda Rowe and her team of sailors Malcolm, Liz, Rod, Paul, Helen and Mark.

Greenwich to Edinburgh Sailathon 2008

21st June - Left Hoo with strong winds expected
23rd June – We made our way across River Thames. Sea lions came to see us off Grimsby and puffins along the coast.
27th June - Left Whitby at 20.30 hours to Blyth. Arrived at Eyemouth 15.00 hours. After 12 hours we arrived at Port Edgar. We looked around Queensferry. Saw real Scotsman, kilts and bagpipes playing in Princess Street, Edinburgh City Centre.
1st July - Set off back to Eyemouth at 13.45 hours where we meet Eve Martin from Leukaemia CARE. Enjoying the nice weather unfortunately it didn’t last. Eve wasn't enjoying it. Helen reiterated, “I told you, it never stays nice, always rough, always raining, always cold! Do I have a jumper on? No, I have all my jumpers on! ” and the ranting continues. The sea built up and waves became uncomfortable. We finally arrived at Eyemouth 21.00 hours.
2nd July – Arranged for Eve to climb the mask as her sponsorship task unfolds. ‘The men slowly heaved at the rope and she began her assent. Gulping noises could be heard as she slowly went up higher …. and higher … and higher still. Finally she reached the top to cheers of jubilation from the crowd that had gathered. She had succeeded in her quest to raise funds for the charity; now she could come down.’
3rd July - Left Eyemouth at 04.00 hours feeling unwell as we reached Sunderland so we pulled up for the night.
4th July – Left Sunderland at 07.00 hours to leave Grimsby. Decided not to leave due to bad weather.
11th July – Everyone is feeling wet and cold. We turned the boat back to the Humber and headed for Grimsby. It looks like were not getting the boats back home this weekend.
13 July – Up and away by 04.00 hours. The weather changed we had sunshine but it was a very long day. Arrived at Lowerstoft at 21.30 hours.
15th July – Left Lowerstoft at 05.00 hours for Harwich. The sea was lumpy so we decided to go to Brighlingsea rather than stopping at Harwich. One day to go!
16th July - Left at 04.15 hours and the wind was in the right direction so we were able to sail all the way back to Medway. Finally arrived at Hoo 10.45 hours.

Our three boats raised over £5000 for Leukaemia CARE. Mark returned St Jarna II to its berth in Chatham the following weekend.

For help information or support with a leukaemia, lymphoma or a myeloma call 0800 169 6680 or visit www.leukaemiacare.org.uk

Introducing Leukaemia CARE's blogger

Hello there fundraisers!
I thought I should introduce myself as I'm your resident blogger. My name's Gemma and I'm the PR & Marketing Officer here at Leukaemia CARE. I'm in a few of these pictures below but now as we're starting to hear a bit more from you hopefully you'll see less of me..! That said you'll still hear from me! I studied Spanish at the University of Birmingham and went on to work in Marketing. I live in Birmingham with my husband and our cat and earlier in the month I ran my first race for Leukaemia CARE... eek!
I'm not a runner, never have been, hated school PE lessons, but I must admit I got a great deal from this event and I'd recommend it to anyone. You can also have a lot of fun fund raising. It's no fun just asking for money but a friend of mine is a big fan of house parties and is struggling to raise her sponsorship monies for the Great North Run so she's planning a fancy dress hallow'een party where everyone pays to dress up. Pub quizzes, car washes, sleep overs, dress down and cake sales are staples of the fundraiser's itinerary but loads more can be found at www.raise4leukaemia.org.uk
Our other blogger here is Jen who started as our apprentice and is now our administrative assistant. You'll start to hear from her soon. So I hope we'll get to know each other as time goes by; until then bye bye from all at Leukaemia CARE
Gemma

For help information or support with a leukaemia, lymphoma or a myeloma call 0800 169 6680 or visit www.leukaemiacare.org.uk

Countdown to the Santathon 2008

We now have 4 venues agreed for the 2008 Santathon (previously, the Christmas Fun Run)

• Dagenham & Redbridge FC
• Worcester City FC
• Evesham
• Newcastle University
  

Thanks to everyone who's involved in organising these events; they're some of the most important of our calendar! This year the big event will take place at all 4 venues on Sunday 7th December. More info can be found on our website.
Why not watch our video?!

Leukaemia CARE Santathon: Stroll it... Walk it... Run it!

Why Douglas Swam

An email from a cherished supporter, Mr Douglas Osborne, received on the 10th September, in memory of his beloved sister in law Frances Spall.

Douglas swam the English Channel to raise money for Leukaemia CARE, with Frances' name printed on his swimsuit. He asked us to print their story in our magazine for Frances to read but unfortunatly his sister-in-law passed away before we were able to. Our most sincere thoughts go out to the Spall family and our very best wishes and sincere thanks go to Douglas for his huge fundraising achievements.

I was sitting on the bed of my sister-in-law who was dying of cancer, stroking her hand. My mobile rang, I was told its time to swim the channel to france. She was fading, I kissed her head and said "I will see you tomorow! I have to swim the channel now, for you." We exchanged glances and smiled, I set of from her home in Guildford to my home, grabbed my things and headed to Dover. I set off about 4am ish in the dark of night. Around 08:40 whilst I was swimming she died, I pictured her in my mind whilst swimming, no way would I stop. I had this 1 chance to do this for her, after several hrs I could not picture on the bed fading anymore. I could only see her smiling like she always did with her grin and big brown eyes. I knew she would not make it into Tuesday. She died whilst I swam :-(I did not know till after I finished. Even though they knew on the boat, they just kept encouraging me. This swim has taken me 2yrs to become equipped and ready, but the hardest part is mental strength; that part I learned from Frances, she never once gave up hope, and when she knew she was going to die, she hid it from her kids as long as possible never complaining, always effervescent. I hope to God I meet another Frances Spall, and we become friends. every one needs someone like that.

To sponsor Douglas after his massive swim visit: dougie osborne's just giving website (http://www.justgiving.com/jellyfish)
To sponsor Douglas for any of his many runs visit: dougie runs
(http://www.justgiving.com/dougieruns)
or his raceforlife site (http://www.raceforlifesponsorme.org/helenshreeve)














For help information or support with a leukaemia, lymphoma or a myeloma call 0800 169 6680 or visit www.leukaemiacare.org.uk

Adidas Women's Challenge

Thank you to everyone who took part for Leukaemia CARE, whether you simply ran and donated your entry money or actively fundraised! Remember to send us your stories and photos for us to publish here or in Inspire









Leukaemia CARE's marketing officer Gemma ran the Adidas Women's challenge in Birmingham - she said: "It was a brilliant atmosphere and we were pretty lucky as the rain held off until I was over half way; by then it just made me want to get back extra fast! I just ran as much as I could and did it in 39 minutes - not bad for a first attempt! I'd recommend it as an event for anyone like me who doesn't do much running. I had a great time!"
Click here for OFFICIAL PHOTOS













For help information or support with a leukaemia, lymphoma or a myeloma call 0800 169 6680 or visit www.leukaemiacare.org.uk

Gemma runs for Leukaemia CARE

Leukaemia CARE's marketing Officer Gemma is attempting to do a run for the charity, the 5k Adidas Womens Challenge in Birmingham. An individual usually committed to avoiding running wherever possible the 5k will seem like her own personal marathon. To sponsor the running-allergic Gemma use the link below:




For help information or support with a leukaemia, lymphoma or a myeloma call 0800 169 6680 or visit www.leukaemiacare.org.uk

Great North Run places available!!!

Can you help Leukaemia CARE to fill its Great North Run places? Please let your club know of our last minute places! The most important thing is that interested parties call us on 0845 521 3456 asap. We need all runners to have signed up by the 15th July.

We require a £40 donation along with the application form to secure the place; we can take payment from a card over the telephone. This £40 is non-refundable and non-transferable but does go to the minimum we ask you to raise which is £300 – the deadline for sending us your sponsorship money is not until 30th January 2009, this is to give you plenty of time to collect from those who are donating money to support you! We will also send you an official entry pack which contains a wealth of useful information, if you let us have your address a pack will be put in the post to you.

In return for running for us for this we offer you:
· Running vest to wear with pride during the BUPA Great North Run
· Reflective wristband to keep you safe whilst training
· A water bottle for you to use during your training
· Personalised fundraising posters
· Monthly ‘Team Bertie’ newsletters packed full of both fundraising ideas and training tips to help you in the run up to the BUPA Great North Run
· Exclusive access to our new online running community where you can chat with other runners, and share your running experiences at www.raise4leukaemia.org.uk
· Invitation for you and all your friends and family to the ‘Team Bertie’ Post-Race party where you can relax, have a bite to eat and a complementary massage to ease your aches and pains
· Commemorative BUPA Great North Run Team Bertie t-shirt
· Unlimited advice, tips and support from our fundraising and running experts
If you have any problems or questions regarding The BUPA Great North Run, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us at events@leukaemiacare.org.uk or call us on 0845 521 3456.

Leukaemia CARE is a small national charity that provides care and support to patients, their families and carers during the difficult journey through the diagnosis and treatment of leukaemia, lymphoma or an allied blood disorder. Leukaemia CARE provides the only dedicated free, staffed 24 hour phone CARE Line for patients and their families that enables people to discuss their feelings, concerns and emotions at such a difficult period of time. In addition, Leukaemia CARE is heavily involved with patient advocacy and provides information, holidays, discretionary financial support and has a network of Volunteers throughout the United Kingdom to ensure that there is local support wherever a patient and their family live.

For help information or support with a leukaemia, lymphoma or a myeloma call 0800 169 6680 or visit www.leukaemiacare.org.uk

Sailathon

Sincere thanks to those of you who kindly sponsored me on a recent Sailathon.

My very nerve racking task was to be hoisted in a small nappy like thing up a mast 100 feet. I did it but it was truly awful. However, the worst part of the event was the actual sailing from Port Edgar to Eyemounth. The sailing was in awful weather and it was just the pits.

My fellow sailors are still on their way back, in fact Linda Rowe, her husband Malcolm and the skippers mate of the Goodwill Valerie are stranded in Scarborough due to gales in the North Sea. Mark her son had to leave his boat in the dock at Scarborough hire a car and head back to work at Barclays bank as he had a meeting in Maidenhead today and up to Leeds tomorrow. Mark hopes to return on Friday night to try to get his boat a little nearer to the Medway before going back to work on Monday.

The forecast in the North Sea is not sea to change until next week, so I really feel sorry for them.

The pics can be viewed at http://markroweuk.googlepages.com/sailathon2008

There is a video of the event but you will have to wait a little to see that one!!
Eve

For help information or support with a leukaemia, lymphoma or a myeloma call 0800 169 6680 or visit www.leukaemiacare.org.uk

New Fundraising website!

WE NEED YOU!

The Leukaemia CARE team have been hard at work
to put together a really fun resource for all you fundraisers out there!
The new website is being launched TODAY on the address
http://www.raise4leukaemia.org.uk/

Proms Concert a Resounding Success

January 08 saw the first ever Proms Concert in aid of Leukaemia CARE.

Local media covered the Kidderminster and the night helped to raise £10,000 for the charity.

http://archive.worcesternews.co.uk/2008/1/15/502656.html

http://archive.malverngazette.co.uk/2008/1/9/501721.html



Performing on the night was Russell Painter (tenor), Beth Dunn (Soprano) and Sara Weaver (accompanist). Also on the bill weresingers, David Stout, who is currently touring with the Welsh National Opera and Cath Fish.