Sunday 30 September 2012

Shine 2012


Hi guys,

I think I found the challenge that broke me!

Shine 2012 took place in London last night. We started at Battersea Power Station at around 9pm and the aim was to walk 26.2 miles across London before finishing back at the Power Station.

I've never taken part in a fundraising event before - I stick to the campaigning mostly. I didnt know what to expect so i set myself a modest target of £500. I managed to raise around £800 before the event. I'm so grateful - and blown away - by the generosity and support I received by my friends and family, it's just incredible!

My friend Nancy invited me to walk with her and her friends, a lovely and very welcoming group of brilliant fundraisers. Nancy and I got separated from the group at around 4 miles but we managed to find Jo at the 10 mile mark.

Nancy and Jo spurred me on, I really wanted to give up after about 13 miles but these two ladies are incredible! They have so much energy and enthusiasm, they are just and amazing!

Somewhere along 15 miles I twisted my ankle quite badly but managed to carry on to the next pitstop, which was around the 19/20 miles mark. There I went to see the paramedic and he told me to stop as I had done a bit of damage to my tendon. I have a problem with my knees and I think that put a lot of pressure of my ankles. So I had to admit defeat and stop there. 

My legs are really painful today but I'm trying to push through the pain! I'm so so disappointed that I didn't get to finish and I think I've let my generous sponsors down which makes me feel terrible. 

Thank you for all your brilliant support. Thanks to Nancy and Jo for keeping me going and for allowing me to walk with then. It was definitely a brilliant, but painful, experience and I'm in awe of the incredible people that do such fundraising events often.

The money raised will go towards Cancer Research UK's incredible research in memory of my six lost relatives - something I'm very proud of
Thanks guys :) xxx

Friday 28 September 2012

The Liam Fairhurst Foundation and Help Harry Help Others – An Update


Twitter is a fantastic way to meet incredible people who have gone through similar experiences to you and are doing amazing things. Callum Fairhurst is just one of the many brilliant people I have grown to know since joining Twitter.

I have mentioned The Liam Fairhurst Foundation in the past and I am very pleased to inform you that the charity has now finally received its charity number.

The charity, like Callum, has big big plans and it will be very exciting to see it grow in the next few months. However, charities do rely on kind and generous donations to enable them to do the great things they want to do to help people in unfortunate situations. Please do read up on the charity and if you feel you want to get involved, please do let Callum (@blackpigsweets) know!

………………………………………………..

Harry and Georgie Moseley are another two inspirational people I have come across. Harry sadly died in 2011 after raising incredibly sums of money for CRUK. His mum Georgie has worked though her pain to build Harry’s own charity Help Harry Help Others. The charity opened its doors on Wednesday and I am proud to say I am one of Harry’s Heroes who will be working hard to carry on building his amazing legacy. Please do read Georgie’s biography of Harry (available on amazon) and please do get involved with this wonderful charity.

www.hhho.org.uk

xxx

Coming Up This Winter


Hi all,

Regular readers will know that I took part in CLIC Sargent’s Big Bucket Collection during December which is childhood cancer awareness month in the UK. I spent a freezing cold, rainy Thursday outside Tesco’s in Woodford Green and managed to collect £200 for the charity. It was my first ever fundraising experience. It was originally supposed to take place on the Friday but Tesco’s moved it at the last minute, which sadly meant none of my helpers, could attend and I had to do it alone. I prefer campaigning to fundraising and I am conscious of always asking people for donations so I only do a few fundraising events every year, but this is definitely on I feel is hugely important.

I will be taking part in the collection again this year and can proudly announce the details of my collection.

On Saturday 8th December 2012 I will be at Morrison’s in Dagenham from 9am in the morning collecting for CLIC Sargent.

If you are interested in getting involved and helping me out then please do email me on pennyschristofi@gmail.com

My family live in Kent, Surrey and Cyprus and I am in Essex so they probably wont be able to come down and support me on the day which is why I have set up a virtual bucket collection for anyone that wishes to donate but can’t make it on the day. All donations are very very gratefully received. I will post the link next week.

Childhood cancer awareness month is a cause very close to my heart. CLIC Sargent is a charity very close to my heart. I watched a child I love suffer through cancer and Georgie was helped by CLIC Sargent which is why I’m passionate about giving something back to the charity and helping other children in Georgie’s situation.

To read more about CLIC Sargent please click here: http://pennysophia.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/clic-sargent.html

To read more about Georgie please click here: http://pennysophia.blogspot.co.uk/2011/10/georgie-pantziarka-xx.html

Thank you  xxx

____________________________

i will also be braving the cold to take part in Cancer Research UK and Tesco's Every Penny Counts Collection - very apt when you consider my name!!! The details are as follows:

Saturday 27th October 2012 from 9am to 12pm at Tesco's in Barking, Essex.

I don't think I need to go into details as to why I'm taking part in this - my love for CRUK is well documented!!!

If you would like to know more about Cancer Research UK then please click here: http://pennysophia.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/the-amazing-cancer-research-uk.html


Thursday 27 September 2012

Childhood Cancer - My Projects

Having seen gene mutations rip both my maternal and paternal families, I can safely say I wholeheartedly support any research into them. Having watched someone I love soooo much succumb to childhood cancer, I can also wholeheartedly say I support any research into that as well.

My lovely fellow campaigns ambassador Mary Regan has a CRUK my projects page supporting the fabulous Professor Rahman and her research into childhood cancer. 

Professor Rahman is incredible. She is researching childhood cancer, and trying to find out why so many children receive devstatesing cancer diagnosis.

Please support Professor Rahman through Mary's MyProjects page and hopefully help us get one step closer to eradicating childhood cancer once and for all.

Thank you :)

http://myprojects.cancerresearchuk.org/fundraise/fundraising-pages/support-the-research-of-Professor-Rahman

xxx

Friday 21 September 2012

Cancer Research UK - Brand Refresh


I keep seeing the new Cancer Research UK logo popping up everywhere I go at the moment – I absolutely love it! It’s so bright and colourful! It really catches your eye!

I’ve already mentioned “Collective Force” briefly but I have seen some rather sceptical comments about the logo and I wanted to explain the reasons behind the brand refresh in a bit more detail.

First of all, I think it is important to note that Cancer Research UK as a charity is not changing. It is still the same charity that has played a vital role in doubling success rates in the past four decades. It is still the worlds leading charity dedicated to pioneering research into preventing, treating and curing ALL TWO HUNDRED types of cancer.

It’s the brand that is being refreshed. Chief Executive Harpal Kumar explains the need for refresh here: “We’re living in a golden age for cancer research, our understanding of the disease is increasing at a faster pace then ever before, and more people are surviving thanks to the work we do. However, our scientific ambitions are being limited by our ability to fundraise at the level we are striving for”
The charity has changed its logo and its style of communication to enable it to be more accurate at reflecting who and what the charity is: “ A collective force of supporters, scientists, doctors and nurses coming together to beat all cancers.”

“The change is more then simply a new logo – it’s about who we are, how we do things and what we’re here to achieve.”

The new logo is a C made of different coloured spots and shapes – some small and some large. This symbolises the charity’s role and ambition. The different spots make up a bigger picture symbolising everything and everyone coming together against a common enemy – CANCER. United we are stronger. We are all in it together.

The original logo was created a decade ago when Cancer Research Campaign and The Imperial Cancer Research Fund merged to form Cancer Research UK. Since then, the world has evolved and become a lot more digitalised. Research, which included input form a cross section of supporters, indicated that the brand was looking old and outdated. This needed to be addressed as there are so many charities out there now and people have more choice about who they give their hard earned cash to. Cancer Research UK is a charity that received no government funding so your generous donations are vital in allowing them to carry out the incredible work they do every single day.

COST
80p in every £1 donated to Cancer Research UK is spent on scientific work. This is incredible and not many charities can match it.
During this financial year, £687,000 is estimated to be spent on the brand refresh. This is about 0.2% of the annual income for the charity – do not despair – your generous donations are being spent on finding cures for all cancers, not on the brand refresh.

I hope I have explained the rebranding to you and that you agree with me that the new logo is fantastic. I dedicate a lot of my spare time to Cancer Research UK and I wouldn’t do that if I didn’t 100% believe in what they do and how they do it. I wouldn’t write these blog posts if I wasn’t sure they have the backs of their supporters and the people affected by cancer.

xxx


Thursday 20 September 2012

Cancer Research UK Ambassador Showcase: Rosa MacPherson


As I’ve previously mentioned, I was raised with very strong female role models to look up to. I think I may have found another in my very lovely fellow Cancer Research UK Ambassador, Rosa MacPherson. I would like to thank Rosa for allowing me to share her incredible story with you all – this has certainly been of the most interesting blog posts I have ever written.

Rosa was born in Alloa to Polish parents who had been repatriated to Scotland after World War Two. Although they were both only in their twenties, they had already endured slave labour, imprisonment, almost starved under Stalin and faced the constant threat of exile to Siberia. Rosa’s parents had only known each other for six weeks when they married and faced such testing and tragic things together at such young ages.

Going through such injustice shaped the way Rosa’s parents raised their children. Rosa, her brother and her three sisters were brought up to answer back if they needed to. They were all born with Polish as their first language and a divided sense of identity – were the Scottish or were they Polish?

Most of Rosa’s family were trapped on the other side of the Iron Curtain and were uncontactable at the time. In fact, the first time Rosa ever saw a photo of her aunt Patycja was in her open coffin after she sadly passed away from womb cancer. Patycja refused a hysterectomy on religious grounds.

Rosa grew up to become a teacher, a writer and a political activist. She met her husband when she was nineteen and became a mother for the first time when she was twenty three. Her son is named Georgie - which clearly demonstrates Rosa’s superb taste!
Like me, Rosa has also watched so many loved ones battle cancer. Her mother, like her aunt, developed womb cancer. She had a hysterectomy after a Polish priest came to her house and gave her permission. Close friends of Rosa and George were both tragically diagnosed with cancer around the same time. They were a married couple living in Germany; the husband sadly passed away after being diagnosed with brain cancer that has spread to most of his vital organs but his wife survived breast cancer.

Rosa’s father passed away after suffering from heart disease, diabetes and gangrene caused by sixty years of heavy smoking. Tragically six months later Rosa lost her husband George very soon after he was diagnosed with lymphoma. Rosa says: “This is a horror I have still not managed to leave behind. To watch someone you love retreat further and further from life and for them to know that, and be horrified by it, and to be so scared of dying. It was almost unendurable.”

As for Rosa herself; she began smoking when she was thirteen and thought it was very glam and “movie starish”. She smoked up until 10th January 2007. She lost many people to cancer and even has pre cancerous cells removed from her cervix (which may have been caused in part by her smoking according to the specialists) but couldn’t quite kick the habit. She wondered if she would be one of the lucky ones but unfortunately two years after she quit smoking, Rosa was diagnosed with uterine cancer, just as her mum and aunt had been.

Rosa underwent a radical hysterectomy, the removal of her cervix and ovaries and immediate menopause. She credits early diagnosis as the reason why she managed to survive but like her dad, she wishes she had quit smoking earlier.

The following quote  comes directly from Rosa and explained how her life has shaped her and why she became a cancer campaigns ambassador:

“I’m sharing my story to try and show that when we’re debating measures like plain packaging, and when we’re balancing public health benefits with tobacco industry profits, we’re talking about real people, real families. People like me.

Why did I become a Cancer Research UK Ambassador? Because it’s a fight we will win. There is a battle going on, with tobacco companies, with other drugs and chemicals that is threatening to destroy us as a species. Cancer has gotten hold because humanity is in such need of the very attributes that CRUK harnesses and fosters in its campaigners. CRUK believes in what is right. It raises its own money, it harnesses the unique, amazing power of individuals, and joins them together in a battle to beat the odds. It takes on each obstacle with planning, determination, passion and unbeatable spirit. And the spirit’s the thing. It’s being part of a global family that is using its compassion, insight and sense of humanity to transform the planet from a place of war with cancer to a place of hope, cooperation and life affirming joy. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of that?”

Rosa has just completed her MA in Creative Writing at Edinburgh Napier University and is now working free lance as a writer. She is hoping to have her  first novel completed by the Autumn 2013 and I will be first in line for a copy!

I, for one, am very glad to be able to get to know Rosa as part of my ambassador family and can safely say we definitely have a warrior on our side in the fight against cancer. Rosa, you are my new heroine! Xxx





Tuesday 18 September 2012

Irene Yarrow

I met a lovely local man, John Yarrow, at the CRUK conference last week.

John sadly lost his beloved wife Irene to cancer earlier this year. He has decided to create a website to use his brave wife's story to inspire others. He is also writing a book which he hopes will raise money for CRUK.

Please take a look at John's tribute to Irene: read her story and find inspiration xxx

http://www.ireneyarrowinspirationalcancerjourney.com/index.html

Nouna Gina - 18 Years On


Another memorial is upon myself and my family.Tomorrow will be eighteen years since my Nouna (Godmother in Greek) Gina passed away. Eighteen years.

Nouna was mum to my cousins Despina and Georgie. She was also wife to my Dada (Godfather in Greek) Pan.

I was five years old when she died so my memories of her are pretty hazy. I remember she called us all cheeky monkeys a lot and I have lots of photos that show her bathing me etc…. so I know she was a great godmother and aunt.

Nouna Gina died very suddenly, without much warning. One minute she was there, the next she was gone. Despina was nine at time and Georgie a little older then one. I think her death will always be one of the most tragic events of my life. A very very sad waste of a young life.

Myself and my sister Nikki were raised very closely with Despina and Georgie. Later their brother Louis and our sisters Zoe and Sophia joined us and we all retained the closeness. They are all extra brothers and sisters to me and they always will be.

Despina is an amazing young woman. To have been dealt such cruel blows in life is horrific but she continues to show strength and dignity in her grief. She recently got engaged to her partner Tom; a very very happy event that caused much ecstatic screaming from myself and our Yiayia when we found out. She deserves her happiness and I sincerely hope that wherever they are, her mum and her brother can see her and join in with her joy. Despina and I can annoy each other and we rarely see each other at the moment (she’s in Surrey and I’m in Essex) but the bond we shared through childhood to the present day will always remain strong and she is one of the first people I run to when I am upset or happy.

Days like this one highlight why it is so important to do the volunteer work that I do. It’s not only a tribute to the six relatives I have had to say goodbye to. It’s also a way of me helping to prevent having to go through it again with another relative. As a family we have been blighted by cancer enough and I can’t bear the idea of going through it all again. I also want to protect my family who have been through so much already.

As for my Nouna, I sincerely hope she has been reunited with Georgie somehow and they are getting to know each other after so many years apart. I also hope she can see what an incredible young woman her daughter is.

RIP Nouna xxxx

Monday 17 September 2012

Cancer Research UK Volunteers Conference


Last week I was lucky enough to be invited to the South Essex Volunteers Conference for Cancer Research UK volunteers.

It was a lovely day, in a lovely hall in South Essex. I met some of my fellow ambassadors for a lovely lunch and a chat as well as meeting some amazing volunteers from all walks of life. It's always lovely going to a CRUK event because I know I'm going to meet up with lots of people who have become friends over the time I've spent as a volunteer so far.

I was asked to do a speech about life as a cancer campaigns ambassador and what being a volunteer means to me and I was blown away by the reception I received. People actually stopped me in the hallway to say they were moved by my family’s story and it genuinely made my day to hear that.

The lovely Tom and Lizzy did a brilliant talk for us all about the patient liaison and campaigning teams at CRUK and we had an AMAZING talk from Professor Kairbaan Hodivala-Dilke who gave us some really interesting scientific information about the work CRUK is involved in. I actually understood her and learnt loads from her – I must track her down actually, I want to find out more!

My fellow ambassador Sonia gave a hugely moving speech about her own personal cancer journey which was very heartfelt. She is a shining star and I really want to work with her more in the future after hearing about all the incredible things she does.

People often ask why I am so heavily involved with Cancer Research UK seeing as I already have a busy job and life. This conference just proves that being involved with the charity is one of the best decisions I have made in my life. We volunteers are so valued by the charity and it’s staff. We are treated as part of the team and given opportunities to do wonderful things and to make lovely friends and aqauintances. I hope to continue being part of this brilliant charity for a very long time and days like this one prove what a brilliant group of people CRUK volunteers are.

If you are looking for a charity to donate some of your spare time too then I highly recommend CRUK - your work and dedication won't go unnoticed.

Next up on the CRUK front is a trip to the Lib Dem Party Conference and Shine 2012 so look out for my updates on those!!

xxx

Thursday 13 September 2012

Collective Force

Cancer Research UK want to know who your heroes are so they can form part of Cancer Research UK's Collective Force.

I'll get the ball rolling by revealing mine here:

My cancer heroes:
*The six relatives I have lost to the disease but who fought so bravely against it: Dada Sotiris, Nouna Gina, Auntie Eleni, Yiayia Alexandra, Buppou Peter and my beautiful Georgie

*My dad George, My Uncle Chris, my Dada Panik, my Auntie Irene and my cousins Despina and Louis who have lost hugely important people but manage to cope with their grief with bravery and dignity.

*My Buppou George who beat the disease

*My lovely friend Stuart Pilcher who kicked cancers arse

*My beautiful friend Rochelle Bugg and her sisters Hannah and Olivia who looked after their patents before losing them both. Bravest girl I know

*My beautiful friend Dawn Green who fights the disease like a warrior every time it tries to get her

*My fellow campaigns ambassadors who continue to inspire me everyday, especially David Collins, my unofficial mentor

*The amazing volunteers such as Nancy Scott who dedicate so much time to the cause

*The brilliant staff at CRUK who do such a brilliant job all the time

*Every single cancer patient, cancer victim and loved one that has lost someone or supported someone through this horrific disease

You're all my #CollectiveForce

Share yours with CRUK on twitter or on Facebook - let the people that inspire you know that they do :) xxxx

Lovely People Fundraising for Georgie

Some of my Uncle's work colleagues are doing a fundriasing event for CLIC Sargent in Georgie's memory.

I wanted to share the page here just in case some of you lovely people wanted to show them some support.

Thank you so much for remembering my cousin in such a lovely way and good luck with your challenge!

Tuesday 11 September 2012

CRUK Volunteer Meet Up - A Request

Hi everyone!

If you are considering coming to the volunteer meet up organised by myself and Nancy Scott on 7th December then please read through this post!

I am thinking through some ideas and I would like some special achievements and notices from all volunteers to document what volunteers have done for CRUK in 2011. If you would like something you have done to be included then please do send me an email on pennyschristofi@gmail.com

Thank you!

xxx

Friday 7 September 2012

CLIC Sargent

Last December I took past in CLIC Sargent's annual "Big Bucket Collection" and managed to raise £200 for the charity. I will be doing the same again on December 8th this year and wanted to let you know more about the charity and why I am so willing to spend a freezing cold December Saturday raising money for them.

Every single day in the UK sees about ten children and teenagers diagnosed with cancer. That's about three thousand, six hundred a year with forty four per cent of them being aged fifteen or younger at the time of diagnosis.

Being diagnosed with cancer at any age would obviously be a huge shock and a very emotional time but to see children and teenagers faced with their own mortality before they've really had a chance to live is horrific. CLIC Sargent focus on helping these children and young people as well as their families and loved ones deal with this bombshell, aiming to provide them with support to meet their needs.

CLIC Sargent do several things to help:
*They provide practical clinical and emotional support

* They provide grants and benefit information to help with the financial implications of cancer

*Lots of young sufferers require care in hospitals far from home so the charity provides free accommodation near specialist hospitals with their Home from Home service

*They arrange free mini breaks to allow families the chance to spend quality time together away from hospital and the every day reality of childhood cancer

*They provide over two hundred medical professionals including nurses and social workers to provide various forms of support for young cancer patients and their families.

*They have a wide range of practical and clear information on childhood cancer

Facts and Figures:
In 2011/12 CLIC Sargent helped families in the following ways:
*38% of the charities expenditure went towards maximising the amount of time young cancer sufferers can spend at home whilst undergoing treatment

*34% went towards trying to reduce the financial impact of cancer as well as the practical impact

*18% was spent on making sure the emotional well-being of young cancer patients and their loved ones is looked after and that they are supported emotionally

*10% went on helping young cancer patients towards reaching their full potential by helping them get access to education and employment opportunities

£21.24 million was raised in 2011/12 with over £7 million of that coming from local community fundraising as well as national events and challenges. £3.5 million was left to the charity in people's wills. The rest came from corporate partnerships, trusts and donations, products being sold online and in their shops and donations from individuals.

Major Achievements and the Future:
A major achievement for the charity in 2011/12 was the launch od the "Counting the Cost of Cancer" report. CLIC Sargent discovered that around two thirds of parents with a cancer stricken child were finding themselves plunged into debt whilst looking after their child. CLIC Sargent campaigned to protect the benefits for young cancer sufferers to ease the financial impact of the disease.

14% of young cancer sufferers are aged between sixteen and eighteen years of age and CLIC Sargent are looking to find ways to offer this age group more help and support as gaps have been discovered in the support available to this age bracket.

I speak from experience when I say childhood cancer has a massive, heartbreaking impact on the sufferer and their loved ones. Georgie and our family received invaluable support from CLIC Sargent and I am very proud to be able to give back to them by having a Big Bucket Collection every year and raising money to help enable them to carry on their fantastic work. The charity does AMAZING things for families affected by childhood cancer and I urge you to take a look at their website and look at ways you can get involved and help them make a difference to the life of a young cancer sufferer.

I'm really looking forward to my collection in December and remember to keep an eye out for a Big Bucket Collection in your area this December - dig deep if you can!!!

xxx