Cancer Research

I've been thinking lately about what motivates people to give to charities. Are our motivations altruistic or do we do it just to make ourselves feel good? I suppose it doesn't matter why people do it, just that they do!

Conversely why do some people not give? I know some people say they don’t donate because the charities spend too much on themselves. How do people expect them to run without staff or administration? Others believe they don’t have enough money to give. I believe that the majority of people can afford to, they just choose to spend the money elsewhere.

I’ve always been someone that donates. I see natural disasters on TV and the devastation pulls at my heartstrings. People knock on my door and I feel that I should reward them for giving their time to collect. I have lost people close to me to cancer so I always buy merchandise from the Cancer Council. Like many people I choose which charities I will make a larger donation to, but generally if any charity asks I will give at least a few dollars.

Since having cancer my passion for fundraising has really intensified. I have experienced the amazing support services offered by cancer charities and without donations these services would not exist. Furthermore, without donations to cancer research the amazing treatments that are around today would not have been developed.

I live in constant fear of my lymphoma returning. There is nothing I can do to stop this from happening, but I can support research that will help to cure it if it does come back.

I now have a regular donation to the Australian Cancer Research Foundation debited from my account each month, I have participated in World’s Greatest Shave, Light the Night and Relay for Life. I am participating in Relay for Life again this year (click here to donate or join our team).

Without cancer research I would not be alive. I only hope that my donations can help others to say the same thing.

Light the Night

On Wednesday night I participated in Light the Night with a group of my wonderful friends and family. To attend this night and carry a white balloon was amazing. To have so many people come with me to show their support was even more incredible.

Blood cancer is the second largest cause of cancer death in Australia, and Lymphoma is the most common blood cancer, yet prevention is not possible, as the cause is unknown.

This event is an inspiring way to raise awareness of blood cancers, but also to raise funds for care and hopefully for cure.

It was amazing to walk amongst the sea of balloons and I’m so glad I went. I’ll definitely be there again next year.

Light the Night

On September 15th I'm taking part in a fundraiser called Light the Night, to raise money for the Leukemia Foundation, an organisation dedicated the care and cure of leukaemias, lymphomas, myeloma and related blood disorders.

It's a stroll through the city carrying coloured balloons with lights inside; gold to remember a loved one, white to celebrate being a blood cancer survivor or blue to give hope and show your support.

I'm hoping that everyone I know will show their support by coming along or if they can't make it on the night sponsoring our team. I think it will be an amazing night and I'm going to be very proud to carry a white balloon!

Here's the link if anyone would like to sponsor me (you'll have to copy and paste the address as the hyperlink won't work) http://my.leukaemiafoundation.org.au:80/personalPage.aspx?LangPref=en-CA®istrationID=349897

or follow this link to join our team (The Lymphomaniacs) http://my.leukaemiafoundation.org.au/TeamPage.aspx?teamID=47690&langPref=en-CA

Thank you to Daniel, Leah, Mel, Damien, Andrea, Dani, Ben, Rhona, Tim, Abby, Dave, Eloise and Lisa for joining the team, and to everyone that has sponsored us! xx

A nice bit of closure

On Thursday night I went to the awards night for the Leukemia Foundation's World's Greatest Shave. Our fabulous little school raised $16,216.35 and were the 11th highest fundraisers in Victoria/Tasmania!

The awards night coincided well with the end of my treatment and I feel like it was a fabulous way to close that chapter of my life and start moving forward.

It was a great event and was of course very emotional. I'd like to thank Daniel and Dave for coming with me, it was great to have you both there.

Nearly two thirds!

Tomorrow is my fourth treatment, which will make me two thirds of the way through it. For some reason I think that saying I have one-third of my treatment left seems like less than saying I have 2 treatments to go!

Dave, our school's PE teacher (and one of the most thoughtful and genuine guys I know) has organised for the students to walk to school on each of my treatment days. They meet down the road from school and walk up over the big hill to represent overcoming a challenge, while I overcome my own challenge. Furthermore, they each give a gold coin donation which goes to the Cancer Council of Australia. On my last treatment there was such a big crowd they needed a police escort up the road!

Over the last week I've begun to get neuropathy in my fingertips. The tips of my thumbs and my little finger are numb. It feels sort of like pins and needles, except it won't go away! I spoke to my oncologist about it and he said it's likely to get worse and unfortunately unlike other side effects it can take a long time to go away after treatment stops. But, like the hair loss I'd rather have numb fingers than cancer!

Once again I want to say a huge thank you to all my awesome friends and family and thank you to everyone that has left me such lovely comments on this blog. I love you all!!