Wow I can't believe this is my last day of work experience! This fortnight at Leukaemia CARE has flown by! I have done so much here since I wrote my last blog and really feel I have got a lot out of spending time here. It has been really rewarding putting the skills I have learnt into practice - especially seeing pieces I have written appear in the press and on the Leukaemia CARE website.

As well as helping me to develop new practical skills, carrying out work experience has also developed my confidence and has meant I have met some really lovely people along the way. I would strongly recommend doing work experience to anyone, but I think it is especially beneficial to students like myself...many university or college courses do not include any work experience, yet having relevant work experience can be really useful when it comes to applying for jobs in the future. Before I started looking for work experience placements I was completely clueless about what job I wanted to do when I leave university, but I would now definitely consider a career in the PR and Marketing sector. I would really recommend that students consider applying for work experience at a charity, as, in my experience they are really accomodating and helpful, and are keen to have an extra pair of hands. I feel that this kind of work experience would benefit students from a wide range of courses such as Business, Media, Marketing or Events management.

I won't be gone forever, as I will be coming back to help out the charity when I have some spare time. I am going to be helping out on the Leukaemia CARE stand at the upcoming volunteer recruitment day at the University of Worcester. I think this is a really great way of raising awareness of Leukaemia CARE, the many fun and rewarding ways that people can fundraise, and the ways in which the money they raise hugely benefits the charity.

Sarah

Sav Neofitou - "Going through Leukaemia"

Hi..I'm Sav Neofitou, 14 years old at the moment here's my story & how it all began!...I was at primary school when it all started, in the afternoon our class was aloud to go on the adventure playground which had apparatus. i went on the slide and when i got down at the end i hit my back on the edge of the slide, i was screaming in so much pain! that my face went red and i was in lose of breath. So my friend helped me and i was sent to the medical room. They rang my mum at work to come and collect me. After once she arrived, we were on our way to A&E but i couldn't barely walk it was so painful! so my mum had to ring an ambulance, as she was worried. Then once we got there and seen the doctor they checked me and sent me home with painkillers. But the pain was just the same, and so we went back up the hospital A&E four times and they kept on sending me home with painkillers, they didn't help me at all! Then the fifth time we went up there they did a blood test, i was there until the morning i was tired as it was 2 am. We were still waiting for the blood test to come back. My mum knew something was wrong, she was getting worried. Then by the morning they took me to a children's ward where i had to stay for the mean time. i went back to sleep i was so tired, my mum had a bit of sleep but most of the time she couldn't sleep because of what's happened she was waiting anxiously for some news. Then the doctors on the ward came and saw my mum asking to speak with her privately, my mum woke me up saying i'll be back in a bit i'm just going to speak to the doctors. After that she was back & i waked up, when i turned around i saw my mum crying on the chair, i asked her what's wrong. she said everything's going to be alright Sav, i was thinking what do you mean by that she started to worry me. Then she told me i had leukaemia, she said it was a type of cancer. Then she rang my dad telling him what's happened so he came from work to see me. My sisters were wondering what's been happening and so when my dad got home he told them, they came and saw me with some presents which was lovely.So I was diagnosed at my local Mayday hospital, with Leukaemia at the beginning of 2005 when i was 10 yrs old. Then i was transferred to Royal Marsden Hospital which was a cancer type hospital, i stayed at the hospital until the doctors thought i was better to go home. I had a therapist to help me stand up and walk properly as i was hunch back,so she helped me with some exercise i had to do in the morning and before i go bed. But i had no idea what was going on until my mum and the doctors explained about what i had and what was going to happen. It was an big shock for me and my family! I had to have radiotherapy & chemotherapy which made me feel ill and so i was in & out of hospital. Also they had to put a line inside me on the side of my chest it was called a portacath. After that i was realising that some of my hair started to fall out because of the chemo, the doctors said that i shouldnt worry as it will grow back shortly. Later on in the year i had to have an bone marrow transplant as i was in an high risk of having a relapse. So the doctors found me a female donor from germany and i was all set for december 05 to have it done. I had to have another line in on the other side which was an hickman line. I was staying in a cubical for 6 weeks, also over christmas and new year which was a shame! My sisters and my dad came and visited me for christmas & new year. The bone marrow made me feel like crap! it was horrible! But When i finally got out of hospital i wasn't allowed to go back to school for about 3 months in case i caught anything. Then when i was 12 i was back in school like everyone else. Although i had some rough time, cry's now & then i still wouldn't of got through it with out my family,nurses & doctors! Also a BIG thanks to my bone marrow donor!Now that i've finished all my treatment i am doing well and in remission. Sav ..ox

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

Introduction to Sarah!

Hi Everybody,

I thought I'd say hello to you all, as I am currently doing work experience at Leukaemia CARE. I'm 20 years old, and I'm studying Media and Sociology at the University of Worcester, and am doing a fortnight's work experience in the Leukaemia CARE marketing department.

I decided to do some work experience for a number of reasons; the obvious reasons being that it would help me complete my degree, and obtain some work experience. I also chose to come and work here as, despite carrying out work experience in other marketing departments, I have never had any experience working for a charity. I started to research the possibility of carrying out some work experience at Leukaemia CARE, as since a close friend of mine sadly died of leukaemia a few years ago, I have always been extremely keen to support cancer charities.

On the first day of work experience, I was initially surprised that, despite being a national charity, Leukaemia CARE only has one office in England, based here in little old Worcestershire! My first morning was spent meeting everybody in the office, and finding out about the wide range of jobs that are carried out within a relatively small building. I was particularly interested to hear about the Leukaemia CARE Line, which I learnt is the only 24 hour care line like this in the UK. I thought it was brilliant that it is not just those with leukaemia who seek comfort and advice from ringing the CARE Line, but also a wide range of people who may also be affected, such as their friends, family, or employees.

This is only my third day here, and I already feel like I have gained a valuable insight, both in terms of the fantastic work this charity does, and also what it is like to work in the marketing department of a charity. I have gained some great hands-on experience, and despite intially being scared, I even wrote some press releases! The people who work here are all lovely, and really keen to help (and I haven't been told to say this, they genuinely are!). Their enthusiasm and dedication to the charity is infectious and I already have lots of ideas buzzing round in my head about how I can raise money for Leukaemia CARE. I have particularly enjoyed looking at all the fundraising stories and photos you have all uploaded onto the blog, as they are so interesting and inspiring. Last Friday I attended a meeting, where I met Chris Reed from the 'Vinvolved' team, which is a national youth volunteering programme. He highlighted how simple it is to become a volunteer, how even the smallest of fundraising activities can be a great help, and also spoke about the benefits of becoming a volunteer, such as the fact that fundraisers registered with the team can work towards certificates of acheivement.

Anyway, Bye for now...I hope to update the blog again in a few days.
Sarah

A Triathlon, 5k Santathon and 10k Run!

On the 9th of August 2009 Lorn will be taking part in the Wick Triathlon which will consist of a 750m swim, 20km cycle, 5km run. Lorn aims to complete the traithlon in about 2 hours. Lorn has been training to get fit and will participate in some other events before the main triathlon in August. Some of these include: 5k santathon in December and a 10k run in May 2009. Lorn is training up to six days a week and her training progress can be followed on lornpearson.spaces.live.com.Lorn has decided to raise money for Leukaemia CARE as she knows people who have lived with and been affected by this cancer and would like to think that she can help raise money through the exercise she does.

Lorn is doing a fantastic job and is training tremendously hard. Please sponsor her by visiting http://www.justgiving.com/lornpearson.

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