When Online Community member Taste4danger was diagnosed with Hodgkin Lymphoma, she banded together with family and friends to organise an amazing year of fundraising events for Macmillan. The group are calling themselves World War C.
Between them all, they are planning to do an event every month this year – from running and cycling, to organising a gig, to wearing fancy dress every day for a month! Despite going through chemotherapy, Taste4danger is planning to take part in a number of events herself – and she recently got things started with a 10k run.
I was diagnosed with Hodgkin Lymphoma on Christmas Eve 2012, and my Macmillan nurse has been outstanding, and so kind. It’s so nice to have one person there for you through this long and frightening process, and it’s been invaluable to have someone who understands what I’m going through.
I’ve also found it really helpful to read other people’s experiences in the Online Community. For example, it’s a relief to realise that you won’t necessarily get all the symptoms and side effects. It’s such a supportive group of people – a whole new group of friends.
What events have you done so far?
A couple of my friends gave up alcohol for January, and a couple more gave up chocolate. It was a good chance to get fit for some of the upcoming events! Everybody did really, really well.
In February, a group of us did a 10k run in the New Forest. I’d had my chemo on the Wednesday, and did the run on the Saturday, so it was really tough, but it felt really good, like a real achievement. Those of my friends who finished ahead of me came back to cross the line with me, which was great.
I’ve always liked sport, and I find it helps me to keep active. Doing something like this means you’ve got to get out, even when you feel ropey. It keeps me motivated.
So far, we’ve raised nearly £2,000.
How did you end up planning a whole
year of events?
When I first said I wanted to raise money, I thought there would probably be three or four of us. But people kept on joining in, and now there are 11 of us – I was really surprised by the response, and my friends are doing such a great job.
We wanted to get a good mix of events so that everybody could be involved in at least a few things. Some of them are physical challenges, but not everyone wants to do sports, so we are including some other types of events, such as organising a gig.
I realised that I wouldn’t be allowed to do some of the more exciting events because of my treatment, so I’ve got other people doing them for me. For example, I can’t do the Back 2 the Trenches obstacle course, as it will involve getting wet. I’ll have to watch that one, which I think I’ll find quite hard.
What else have you got planned?
Various walks, runs and cycles. One friend is organising a gig in her garden, another will be shaving her head, and another will be wearing fancy dress every time she leaves the house, apart from going to work, for a month. And we will also be taking part in the World’s Biggest Coffee Morning in September.
