Late 2015 after the Manchester to Blackpool bike ride my friend Jo Cunningham had a vision of completing various events over 2016 to raise money for The Christie, kicked off by a simple fund raiser on New Year’s Eve at a party at her home, this is how it all began.
I had to warn Jo though after the excitement of the plans we were making to walk, run, cycle and much more in the year that there may be a possibility that I could not do all of the events. I may have problems with my secondary breast cancer and have to go back onto treatment. Sadly, I was rediagnosed with breast cancer back in my sternum and shoulder bone so I had to start chemotherapy around February time. It stopped me from doing some of the sports events but I was still able to commit to many of them.
We fund raised specifically for research into resistance to chemotherapy which is something that secondary cancer patients will experience. This is why many people die as drugs become ineffective in treating cancer and why I thought it was very worthwhile to fundraise for, as the research was taking place in Manchester. The donations will go towards this research which is being undertaken across from The Christie with a team of researchers who I know through research conferences and are passionate to help patients.
Here is a list of the events that have taken place in 2016 to raise money for The Christie charity
- NYE event – Jo and friends
- Diggle to Disbury 20 mile walk – all and many friends from
Diggle Day Nursery - 32 mile Ultra Run called the Howarth Hobble – Jo and
Howard - Saddleworth ladies night – organized by Jo
- Our 25th anniversary – instead of presents we asked
for donations and raised over £2000 - Saddleworth cricket team 80 mile cycle
- Oldham triathlon – Jo completed it all and her husband Brendan,
and my husband Jeff completing the event as a team - Anne and Gisela – 2 parish priests completed a 300 mile walk
from Didsbury to Holy island - Oldham 7k run – Jo and Jane, Stacey, Kate and myself completed
this and I had just finished chemo 5 days prior - Manchester – Blackpool 62 mile cycle ride – Jo, myself and Jeff
completed this - Curry night – we had an excuse to raise money as it was my
husband Jeff’s 50th Birthday
As you can see, it’s been a full year of events and Jo has been amazing and very, very busy organizing all these events to help raise money. A wonderful friend, not just organized events but to help motivate me to do things whist going through treatment.
We had a target of £10,000 this year and we have nearly reached that target as it stands at £9020 but what a huge achievement and I am so pleased to be able to give something back to this fantastic hospital where I am treated.
Here is the link to the just giving page if you would like to donate www.justgiving.com/Joanne-Taylor41
Here is also a video of me about the idea for the fundraising by Patient Power http://www.patientpower.eu/video/jo-taylor-fundraising-for-the-christie-hospital-in-manchester-uk
Jo & Jo xx
#cockoffcancer
