Dawn Green: Pseudomyxoma Survivor

Dawn Green is one of my fellow Cancer Research UK Campaigns Ambassadors. In 2008 she was diagnosed with Pseudomyxoma.


Pseudomyxoma Peritonei is a very rare type of cancer that usually begins in your appendix as a small growth, called a polyp. Or, more rarely, it can start in other parts of the bowel, the ovary or bladder. This polyp eventually spreads through the wall of your appendix and spreads cancerous cells to the lining of the abdominal cavity (the peritoneum). These cancerous cells produce mucus, which collects in the abdomen as a jelly like fluid called mucin.

Dawn was given just three months to live and the cancer was so rare that her doctors didn’t know much about it at all. Whilst fighting the disease Dawn noticed a distinct lack of emotional support for people fighting this form of cancer.

Dawn decided to set up a charity to help others in her situation. Pseudomyxoma Survivor  aims to provide emotional support for anyone dealing with this type of cancer and to prevent anyone feeling alone or isolated during their fight against the disease.

Dawn has high hopes for the charity and in 2012 she plans to achieve further recognition and form collaboration with Cancer Research UK to ensure anyone who needs support knows where to find her.

The charity will be fundraising and raising the profile of PMP whilst also funding research into the disease. Dawn would love to travel the world speaking as a patient advocate for all survivors, which she hopes will result in increased awareness and higher survival rates worldwide.

If you would like to know more about this type of Cancer or Dawn’s charity then please check out her website, I will post the link below. If you are interested in getting involved then I’m sure she’d be happy to hear from you!

A cancer diagnosis is terrifying, especially when it’s a very rare cancer such as this one. More needs to be done to understand these rarer types of the disease so cure’s can be found and people can be saved. I’m so glad to know Dawn is using her experience to help others in her situaition and I fully support her chairty 100% and wish her the best of luck for 2012!

http://www.pseudomyxomasurvivor.co.uk/

xxx

The Bugg Sisters': Inspiration Personified

My fellow CRUK Ambassadors are pretty amazing people. I’ve been hit quite hard by cancer and sometimes it feels like my family are the only ones affected so badly. Getting to know my fellow ambassadors has been a godsend because it has made me realise I am not alone: there are people in the world who have been through similar things and who have been shaped by these experiences and pushed into doing something about it.

Three girls in particular have become a real inspiration to me. I am yet to meet them but I count them as friends and I really do support them 100%.

Rochelle, Hannah and Olivia Bugg are three sisters who have been dealt massive blows in life. When they were really little (six, ten and fourteen) they lost their dad to cancer. Then in January this year they were told their mum has an incurable brain tumour.

I am fortunate to have five parents (mum, dad, step mum, step dad and mother in law) and I bicker with all of them. But to lose one of them would break my heart. To lose all of them would kill me.

Anyone in their position would be forgiven for shutting the world out completely but these three girls have masses of strength and courage. A few weekends ago I lit a candle for Georgie in honour of Child Bereavement Day. I tweeted about doing so and one of the girls must have seen because they send me a lovely text of support. It meant so much to me on such a sad day.

The Bugg sisters have an amazing website where they share their feelings and updates on Mummy Bugg. It’s a brilliant site; it can make you laugh and cry at the same time. You really get to know the sisters and how they are coping. You root for them to get through everything life throws at them. I’m urging everyone to get behind these amazing young girls and support them through this horrific time.

Rochelle, Hannah and Olivia have even tougher times ahead of them and I wanted to do this blog post to let them know that they are in my thoughts and I really do mean it when I say I will help them in anyway that I can. I’m sure both Mummy and Daddy Bugg are so proud of their girls and I’m proud to know them. You’re doing an amazing job ladies, you’re real inspirations to me J

Check out the girl's website: A Bugg's Life

http://www.abuggslife.com/

xxxx

Possible Award Winner?

Anyone who knows me will know that I do my charity work in honour of the six relatives I have lost to cancer. It is my way of keeping their memories alive whilst also trying to make sure other people don’t have to go through the same pain. Awards and recognition do not mean anything to me; I do what I do because I enjoy knowing I’m helping people.

I was interviewed by a lovely lady, Jessica, at my local newspaper a few weeks ago. The Ilford Recorder ran a piece about my charity work to help me drum up publicity for my bucket collection.

After the story was published, Jessica called me to let me know that I had been nominated for the Recorder’s Young Citizen Award for my charity campaigning and fundraising.

“The Recorder/Rotary Young Citizen Award recognises worthy young people in the borough”

I was stunned to find out somebody thinks I’m worthy of an award. I actually don’t think I do enough to be considered but I am so grateful to whoever nominated me! It’s a really nice Christmas present!

I’m sure I’ll be up against some really worthy young people so I will keep you updated on whether I win or not!

Take a look at the link below to read more about the award or to nominate a Redbridge young person for the award! I’m on page 4!

xxx

http://edition.pagesuite-professional.co.uk/launch.aspx?referral=other&refresh=dF04X9k10wM7&PBID=2e06ba4c-0895-4d35-96f7-203988cdd8b9&skip=

My Big Bucket Collection - The Result!

So my Big Bucket Collection for CLIC Sargent was supposed to take place on Friday 16^th December 2011. I managed to get quite a few helpers and I even got some publicity in my local newspaper, the Ilford Recorder.

However on the Monday before the collection Tesco decided to move my collection date from Friday to Thursday. To say this was a nightmare is a slight understatement. This meant I has absolutely no helpers and had managed to give Tesco publicity for their own charity event which they had decided to do on the Friday instead.

So on Thursday 15^th December, I stood outside Tesco in Woodford Green from 9.30am until 4pm. I had to stand in the lobby area which was a wind trap and extremely cold! I wasn’t given the table I was promised so I had to hold a bucket in one hand and keep the other hand on the box full of my equipment and my handbag. It was an experience to say the least!

Collecting money for charity has a way of making you despair of people whilst also amazing you with people’s generosity. Doing the collection on a Thursday day time rather then a weekend meant I didn’t see as many people as I could have done. It was mostly retired people to be honest.

Some people were incredibly generous, I had two people put £10 notes in my bucket, and some were incredibly rude. I had a sign behind me to say I was collecting for children with cancer and at one point I was pushed out the way by an old lady who wanted to pet a dog standing near me!

I had big plans for my bucket collection and I didn’t turn out the way I has hoped. Nonetheless it was a brilliant experience, one I shall be repeating numerous times next year.

I’m proud to say I managed to raise £200 for CLIC Sargent which will go towards helping children with cancer in the UK. Thank you to everyone who helped out and everyone who donated! See you all again in 2012!

xxx

Two New Projects for 2012

2011 has seen me start to establish myself as a charity campaigner and fundraiser. I've been lucky enough to literally change lives with both Cancer Research UK and CLIC Sargent. I've met some incredible people along the way: my fellow ambassadors and fundraisers are really inspiring and I'm so glad to be getting to know them all slowly.

2012 will be even busier for me on the charity front. I'm really excited about my next CRUK Ambassador campaign (all to be revealed in the new year!) and I have a list of charities I'm hoping to work with: Sarcoma UK, CLIC Sargent and Teenage Cancer Trust to name but a few!

I'm hoping you have all enjoyed reading my blog, there will be so much more to come in 2012, I'm hoping to make it my biggest year so far: in my careers, personal life and charity work.

There are two projects that are really special to me and I thought I'd give you a little preview of what's to come for me in 2012:

The George Pantziarka TP53 Trust

2011 will always been defined as the year we lost Georgie. It has been a weird, horrific and very sad year for me and my family. It’s been hard for us all to get up and carry on with life but I, for one, have tried my hardest to try and honour his memory as I know he would be angry to think we weren’t living our lives. His death was a senseless one and I do really believe that the only way I can make any sense of him leaving us is by helping others suffering from cancer.

My uncle is an inspiration. How the man has coped with all life has thrown at him both astounds and amazes me. After losing his seventeen year old son in April he has somehow managed to find the strength to not only carry on functioning as a human being but he has also found time to set up a trust in Georgie’s name.

2012 will see the launch of the George Pantziarka TP53 Trust. Details of this trust can be found on my Uncle’s site www.anticancer.org.uk

I am excited to see how the trust can help people and prevent them from a fate similar to Georgie’s. I agree with my uncle: there is not enough information about the TP53 gene or, Li Fraumeni Syndrome (LFS). I’m so proud of my uncle for doing something about this and I look forward to helping him in whatever way I can.

……………………………

The Liam Fairhurst Foundation

As I’ve mentioned before, I love Twitter! It has put me in touch with some amazing people. One of which is a young man, and possibly the hardest working teenager in the world, Callum Fairhurst.

Callum lost his brother Liam to Cancer in 2009. He was just fourteen years old. Like my uncle, Callum and his parents have found the strength to use their knowledge and experiences to help others. They will be launching the Liam Fairhurst Foundation in early 2012. The LFF has been Setup to help young people especially those affected by serious illness and disabilities all in honour of Liam.

I’m thrilled and honoured that Callum has asked me to be a part of the LFF team and I’m busy coming up with ideas for fundraising. Callum has so many ideas of how to make the charity huge and I’m so proud to be a part of something that will hopefully help many many people in the future.

Georgie and Liam were taken from this world far too soon. Both were amazing young boys and I’m proud and happy to say I will be working hard in 2012 to help others in their memories

xxx

Stuart Pilcher: Survivor Story

This is an interview with my friend Stuart Pilcher. A Testicular Cancer Survivor.

How did you discover you had cancer? What kind was it? How did you feel?

Stuart: I was on a family holiday to Italy when I started to limp and I was in a huge amount of pain.  Once I flew home, I went to my doctor straight away and was diagnosed with testicular cancer, having found out that I had a tumour in my left testicle.  Finding out that you have cancer at the age of 18 was a huge shock- not just to me, but to my friends and family as well.  I don’t actually remember being told about it; so many things went through my head.  Obviously, the first thing that you think about is whether you are going to survive or not.

How did you feel when they told you the cancer had gone?

I finished my chemotherapy and was given the all clear the day after my 19th birthday- it was the best present that I could ever have had.  Being told that I was now in remission was the best feeling I’ve ever had.  I realised that I fought cancer, and that I had won my battle.

How did your parents and loved ones react to your illness?

I honestly couldn’t have got through my illness without my friends and family.  They kept me positive when i felt low, and they always picked me up when I was feeling depressed. I really do think that half of the battle is in your head, and my friends and family helped me look at the bigger picture and stay focused on what was important- getting better.

Are you more vigilant with your health and well-being now?

Although I still live life to the full, I am now a lot more aware of my body and my health.  I really appreciate life now, and I have learnt not to take my health and well-being for granted.

Did cancer change your outlook on life? How?

Having cancer made me realise that there are so many more important things in life than petty arguments.  It’s given me a much more positive outlook on life.  Having the illness has also made me a much more driven person; I know what I want from life and I am determined to achieve the success that I have worked hard for.

What are your dreams and plans for the future?

I am looking forward to finishing my degree and seeing where that takes me. As I’m only 22, I know that there is a lot in store for me in life, and I look forward to starting my career once university is over.

What do you think CRUK can/should do to help more people survive cancer?

I think that as long as CRUK keep educating people, especially younger men and women, of the effects and symptoms of cancer, then they will be building on the amazing work that they already do.  Personally, I feel that men of all ages just ‘bury their heads in the sand’, and don’t think about cancer, but had it not been for my early diagnosis, I may not be here right now.  It’s really important that men keep on top of their health and talk about the illness, so that we can prevent many more deaths from cancer.

Just over six years ago I made a friend who literally changed my life. Stuart has been a constant source of support, laughter and kindness from the moment I met him. He was even the one standing with me when I found out my yiayia had died. He is one of the kindest, funniest and most intelligent people I have ever met. We go months without seeing each other but our friendship stays as it always has been. He is my fellow Clintonite and politics lover: our politics classes were legendary (Hillary Lewinsky anyone?!)


I was standing in a Fish and Chip shop when Stuart called to tell me he had Cancer. To say I was shocked would be a huge understatement.: I was floored. He fought Cancer with great strength and courage and I am delighted that tomorrow will mark four years since he was given the all clear. Stuart now holds a very special place in my world: my only loved one to have fought cancer and kicked it's evil arse.


I'm so proud of my friend, he will be graduating uni next year with a degree in Politics and International Relations and I know he will go on to have a glittering political career, either in the UK or US.


I pray Cancer leaves him alone because a world without Stuart will be a very poorer place for me and the rest of his many many loved ones and friends.


Happy 23rd Birthday Stuart, you're a classic example of an amazing survivor.


xxxx

Tweet Tweet Part One

Hi Everyone!

I thought I’d recommend some fellow Cancer campaigners and fundraisers and shine a spotlight on them. Twitter is amazing; I have got to know so many fantastic, like minded people and I am so grateful for that. My family have been through so much and it is hard for them to constantly hear about cancer, even if it is about the positive things I’ve done in my quest to help beat the disease. The life of a cancer campaigner is a bit lonely, especially as a 22 year old. Let’s face it; it’s not a very cheerful subject!

There are some people who are so supportive to me and so magnificent at their own campaigning and fundraising that I wanted to dedicate a post to them and hopefully shine a spotlight on the fantastic work they do:

* Nancy Scott (@CRUKWalton). Nancy is superwoman. She has a heart of gold and is an avid fundraiser and campaigner as well as a loving mum of three. The list of charities she supports is probably as long as my arm and she does wonders for them all. Nancy and her friends formed a Cancer Research UK Fundraising Group in their hometown of Walton, Surrey after losing a dear friend to Cancer in 2008. Their events include “Little Legs for Life” which is a Race for Life for children and the Pink Party, a yearly fundraiser in their local area.Nancy is a huge support to me and a very dear “Twitter Friend” I look forward to getting to know her better and hopefully fundraising alongside her one day soon.

* Karen Stafford (@kaz_staff). Karen is a lovely, supportive lady working hard for CRUK. She always has lovely things to say and always seems to be doing something interesting She is involved with the fantastic “Little Star Awards” which was featured in my blog not so long ago. Karen lives in my local area and I really look forward to doing some events with her in the future.

* Callum Fairhurst (@blackpigsweets). Callum may just be the hardest working and most charitable teenager ever. He lost his brother, Liam, to cancer and is now working hard to launch a charity in his honour. Both Liam and Callum are former recipients of the “Britain’s Kindest Kid” Award and Callum is a frequent visitor to parliament. He has raised astounding amounts of money for various charities, including the fab CLIC Sargent. I’m backing Callum’s charity The Liam Foundation all the way and I’m really excited about it’s launch next year, I’ll be getting out my buckets to fundraise for them soon!

* Matt Wells (@Run4Cancer2011). Matt is an avid runner and has just completed a 109 mile run of The Cleveland Way to raise money for CRUK. He managed to do it in four days and is now recovering! As a lazy person, I salute him!

* Ele Gibson (@ele_gibson). Ele is a community fundraiser for CRUK and has bundles of fun, creative ideas to raise money. Her job is to help as many people as possible have fun raising money to beat cancer. She inspires so many fundraisers with her brilliant ideas and amazing support. She’s brilliant!

These are just some of my amazing Twitter friends doing fabulous things for charity. If you have twitter then please check them out, if not then take my word for it: they are amazing and together we all will beat cancer! J

My Big Bucket Collection Details

Hi Everyone!



Hope you are all well and looking forward to Christmas and New Year!



My Big Bucket Collection for CLIC Sargent is taking place next Friday 16th December and I now have all my equipment ready for the big day!



If you are able to lend a hand, and would like to, then I would really appreciate any help!



All the details are as follows:



Place:  Tesco
           Southend Road
           Woodford Green
           IG8 8GE



Date: Friday 16th December 2011



Time: 9am - 5pm



Nearest Tube: South Woodford (Central Line)



We will be selling Mince Pies and Christmas Biscuits to anyone who wants them, all we will ask is for a small donation. We will also be offering to help customers pack their bags and will also be standing around with buckets hoping some kinds customers are willing to donate what they can
I'm planning on having some christmassy music and I have some santa hats and sashes for everyone to wear! I'm going to have some photos taken and the event will be featuring in the local press!



I'm hoping to raise as much money as I can and really make a success of the event. It's all in my lovely Georgie's name and I really want to do him proud!



If you have an hour or so to spare and can get to Woodford Green then please email me (pennychristophe@googlemail.com) and we can arrange a time for you to come down!



Thank you!



Penny xxx                                

The Anton Day Smile Foundation

I have a lovely friend named Kat Bearpark. I bonded with her over a mutual love of Chelsea FC and she is one of the nicest people I’ve ever known. Kat is happily married to the lovely Rob after meeting him at university. Before she met Rob, Kat had a relationship with a young man named Anton Day. They began dating in 2002 and were hit with a huge curveball a year later when Anton discovered he had leukaemia. He’d been feeling tired for a while but had put it down to working long hours but was diagnosed after fainting at the restaurant he and Kat worked at. Anton selflessly encouraged Kat to go to university and remain friends with him whilst he underwent intense treatments. Without a hint of jealousy he would listen to her stories about life as a fresher and gave her his blessing when she met Rob during her first week as a student.

After eight weeks of Chemo, Anton went into remission and began to regain strength. Anton shared Kat and Rob’s joy when they got engaged in 2004 and even met Rob in 2005. At this time he was on the road to recovery and enjoying life.

In September 2008 Kat received a heartbreaking phone call: Anton had caught a cold that spread to his lungs and he had died.

By all accounts Anton was an incredible young man. He had explained to his mum that he wanted to offer their Spanish villa, the one his parents had bought to help him recover and gain strength in comfort. Anton never got to go to the villa but he allowed Kat and Rob to have an amazing honeymoon there, he made sure Kat knew how special she was to him.

Anton’s parents, Vanessa and Tony have set up a charity in Anton’s name: The Anton Day Smile Foundation. Kat is very much a part of the organisation, which is completely voluntary. Their aim is to raise money to support the victims of leukaemia and other blood cancers. Their first aim is to create a memorial garden for Anton at the Churchill Hospital in Oxford. They would like the garden to provide peach and solace for patients, in a place that isn’t as clinical as a hospital ward.

Anton sounds like an extremely selfless and brave person. What he did for Kat was amazing and incredibly rare. I’m sure his family miss him terribly and I think it is a terrible shame he died so young, the world was a better place with someone like him in it. His parents, and Kat, are so brave and incredible for working so hard in his memory. I really do hope the memorial garden is built and that leukaemia patients continue to be helped by Anton’s charity.

For more information about The Anton Day Smile Foundation please take a look at their website:

http://www.antondaysmilefoundation.org/index.html

Childhood Cancer Awareness Month - A Shining Example

December is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Obviously childhood cancer is very close to my heart after what happened to Georgie and I do work hard to raise awareness.

I thought I’d write a blog post about a very brave young man named Harry Moseley. I’m hoping lots of people have heard of him. He reminds me of Georgie a lot and I’ve been captivated by his story for a while now. His mum, also named Georgie, reminds me of my Uncle; such strength and courage.

Harry was incredibly brave; he was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2007 after having problems with his eyes. The tumour was in a dangerous place, deep in his brain, which made it inoperable. He had chemotherapy, which sadly didn’t stop the tumour. Harry made a friend, Robert Harley, whilst having treatment and Harley inspired Harry to do something to help brain cancer research. He began making and selling beaded bracelets. Sadly four weeks into Harry’s campaign Harley died. He was only 55.

Harry managed to keep his illness under control for two years but his health began to worsen in July this year. He developed a blood clot on his brain and had an emergency operation on 10^th August. Harry survived the operation but was in a coma for eight weeks before his family took him home to rest on 7^th October 2011. Harry passed away the next day in his mothers arms aged just 11

Harry has done amazing things for Cancer Research. He raised so much money and awareness, he did speeches and he brought out the best in the people around him. For him to die at such a young age is an absolute tragedy, I’m sure he would have achieved even more had he survived. Another young promising life ended by cancer. The world really is a lesser place without him.

Harry has inspired so many people. His legacy lives on through his mum, his siblings and his supporters. There are people cycling, running and writing to raise money for him as well as people working hard to make his bracelets. The Harry Moseley campaign lives on and I’m sure wherever he is, he is so happy and proud of the progress being made.

Like Georgie, Harry is a perfect example of why Childhood Cancer Awareness Month is so important. Seeing anyone suffering from cancer is a tragedy but to see a child suffer is heartbreaking. To have a young person snatched away is something that you can never recover from.

People are working hard in the fight against childhood cancer but there is still work to be done. As I have explained before I am taking part in CLIC Sergeant’s Big Bucket Collection, if you do see a bucket, please donate anything you can, it really will make a difference. We may have lost Georgie and Harry but we can all work together to save other children from a similar fate. It’s what they both would want.

For more info on Harry please take a look at his website:

http://www.helpharryhelpothers.com/

For more info on the groups fundraising for Harry please take a look at the following sites:

http://www.blogger.com/profile/13709582509566998842

http://www.justgiving.com/CyclingForHarry

http://www.cyclingforharry.blogspot.com