The fundraising begins

As Bennie would say, five, fo, tree, do, won  – BLASTOFFFFFF!

Yes, with a slightly nervous tummy, I’ve just emailed a great whack of people to ask for help with my fundraising.  Well let’s be honest, to ask for donations.

Some of you I see regularly, but some of the people I emailed I haven’t seen in a long time.  Thanks for checking this all out and I hope it’s not too rude of me to make contact to ask for your support.

As you can see, this is legit.  I am actually doing this.  In the same year that my family and I are packing up and moving house and country.  I’m bonkers.  Still, you only turn 40 once.

I’ll be posting things here as preparations continue and I’ll be blogging from the wall.  Which I’m sure is what those millions of Chinese peasants were hoping I’d do when they built the thing all those years ago…

🙂

c

Marie Curie Cancer Care – a decision is made

When going on one of these charity challenges, there are a wide array of charities to choose from. Thousands.

I knew months ago when I started seriously considering this 40th birthday trip to China that I wanted to raise money for Cancer, but apart from that, I didn’t really know which charity.

Tonight, the decision was fully made in my mind and now I am 100% committed.

Marie Curie Cancer Care, and specifically the beautiful hospice in Hampstead – I am going to raise £3,500 for you!

Someone get me a thermometer wall chart and a red pen.

The last day, the first day

Oh Cancer, what a fucking pain in the ass you are.

I’ve just read an email that was inevitable. Inevitable but unwelcome. A friend I didn’t know very well, but a lady who deeply inspired me, died this morning. Her name was Francesca Marvell.

Francesca had cancer and she was so brave with it, as so many people that I have seen deal with it are. She faced her death which so much beauty that it has inspired me to try to live more beautifully.

And with that in mind, I’m living my 40th year with a strong sense of how lucky I am and how much I want to do.

A couple of days ago, I committed to putting my money where my mouth is. I’m going to do a “charity challenge”, a 10 day trek across parts of the Great Wall of China. Before I go in October, I’m going to raise £3,500 ($5,500) for a Cancer charity. Take that Cancer!

By hook or by crook, I’m going to do it – and I may need your help.

To stay focused on what I’m doing it for, I’ve made this blog. I’m going to be talking about my preparations, my fundraising, but most importantly I want to talk about the people I know who have been affected by Cancer.