Thank you for #BloggersBeatingCancer

In the lead-up to #BloggersBeatingCancer I was slightly worried that no-one would get on board, that no-one would get involved. However, I was reassured by two people very close to me that this wouldn’t be the case. Youngest and Oldest. At the moment they are both obsessed with a certain advert. They are watching it every day, they have even asked for this advert instead of a book at bedtime. What advert am I talking about?

The inspiring and amazing advert for the Rio 2016 Paralympics. My two spend nearly every day chanting and singing, “Yes, I can”. It is the first thing I often hear in the morning from them and it is often the last thing that my two are singing at night. I wouldn’t be surprised if they are repeating it in their sleep. It has become their mantra and what a wonderful mantra to have. It also reminds us of the power of the media. How it can inspire us. The idea that we can achieve almost anything if we put our minds to it. I appreciate that we can’t always achieve everything we want but having the soundtrack to “yes I can” running through your head can certainly help you feel like you can take on the world.

It was only fitting that last Friday I woke up to my two singing “YES I CAN” at the top of their voices. That and the coffee meant that I felt we could achieve this. That we could do #BloggersBeatingCancer. I might have found myself singing, “yes I can do this, we are going to raise money” (admittedly not as catchy as the original version) in the shower. Last Friday saw #BloggersBeatingCancer take place in memory of Sarah. But not only for Sarah. It was for all of those people who have lost their lives to cancer. It was also for my Grandad who died from pancreatic cancer. A man who had fought in the Second World War and survived. A man who had lost his right arm in the war but still he carried on. He was unable to carry on when cancer came. That was one war he couldn’t win. My ever lasting memory of him is going with my Dad to pick him up from hospital. Grandad was being sent home to die. I remember how we arrived to find him sat on the bed, his legs not long enough to touch the floor, his feet swinging. He looked small and vulnerable. Not the Grandad I had left when I went to university. Not the Grandad who spent every day tending to his allotment. He didn’t look like my Grandad any more.

#BloggersBeatingCancer was also for the people left behind. The ones who have to carry on after they lose their loved one to cancer. People like Sarah’s husband and children. People like my Dad. For all of my friends who have lost relatives to cancer, dads, mums, sisters. It is also for the people battling cancer, right now, as I type this post.  It was for everyone. I wanted #BloggersBeatingCancer to do you all proud. Sarah from Mumzilla and I were absolutely thrilled and over the moon to see so many of you getting on board. You all did us proud. We made the 30th of September a day to remember. It was the day we all came together and raised over £1,100. On a side note, I wish that I had known we could raise that type of money before I signed up to walk the marathon next year. I’m joking! I can’t wait to start training for the marathon *she says through gritted teeth* #BloggersBeatingCancer saw so many of you coming online, sharing your memories and donating. In fact, we were trending on twitter at number 2. Wow! For a good hour we all came together online, so many of us, sharing coffee and cake and having a few laughs. I was amazed when the money started rolling in and I am still amazed that it continues to come in. THANK YOU. Barts also wanted me to pass on the following message,

“I wanted to touch and base and say a HUGE thank you!

This money really will have a lasting impact on cancer patients and their families, thank you.

Please convey our gratitude to everyone who has helped make the Virtual Coffee Morning such a huge success and thank you for thinking of Barts Charity.”

The coffee morning was a success. Youngest, who was still poorly, might have used #BloggersBeatingCancer as her opportunity to go a little feral. Only when we had finished did I notice that she had taken apart the settee and drawn all over herself in biro. Whoops!

Last Friday we made a difference. Thanks to all of you, we raised over  £1,100 to help with the care and cure of cancer. Your generosity and kindness has made a difference.  We have shown everyone that “YES, WE CAN”. Together, united, we can achieve almost anything. Perhaps, I should start hiring my two out as motivational singers, they could follow people round the street, singing “yes, I can”. I have to admit, I am rather enjoying the constant singing of “yes, I can” every time I enter a room. However, it was perhaps a little off-putting to find them singing it through the toilet door as I had a wee on Saturday. I would like to think that is one thing I don’t need a bit of encouragement for.

I would also like to say a massive and huge thank you to Sarah from Mumzilla who helped get this all rolling and who was fantastic in her support. None of this would have happened without Sarah.

Thank you again. We did it. Yes, we did!

If you have not donated then you still can here – https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/bloggersbeatingcancer