I was 8 when cancer first visited my family. The year was 1986 and I remember seeing my Dad very upset and telling me that he had to fly to Melbourne. His sister had lost her battle with bone cancer. I was too young to remember her as we lived in North Queensland and she was in Victoria but I remember how it hurt my Dad.
In 1992 cancer struck again and I lost part of my heart. My Mums sister, my beloved Aunty, lost her battle with cancer. She had Hodgkin's lymphoma, a cancer of the lymph tissue. She was only 30 years young.
I was 14 when she died and I'd watched her suffer for over 2 years. I remember feeling so helpless that I couldn't help her.
She was a very special part of my life.
My weekends were spent at her place. Riding horses and running amok! She taught me to drive, took me where ever I wanted to go and pretty much spoilt me rotten!
She left behind 4 kids. 4 year old twins girls, a 6 year old daughter and an 8 year old son. Four children would grow up without a Mum and I lost my gorgeous Aunty.
Life went on. Somehow.
Then 4 days into the new millennium in 2000 my Granddads body couldn't take any more and cancer took another member of my family. This time is was bowel cancer. He was only diagnosed 6 weeks earlier. I was 7 months pregnant and he was 46 days short of meeting his first ever great grand child. My Nanna was to be a widow, my Mum and my other Aunty lost their Dad and me, my siblings and my cousins were without a Granddad.
Cancer had taken yet another member of my family and it sucked! But what could I do? I was young and didn't really know anything.
Now that I'm older and as fit as I've ever been I think it's time to give back! I heard about The Ride to Conquer Cancer for 2012 but not with enough time to fund-raise.
The one for 2013 is different! Way different! I have 354 days left to do it!
The Ride to Conquer Cancer is a cycling journey throughout the scenic countryside of Western Australia that I'm embarking on to fight cancer. It will be a challenge in a number of ways, but with my bike, my helmet, and hopefully, maybe, possibly, your generosity, a real impact can and will be made!
Funds raised in The Ride to Conquer Cancer will help support ground breaking critical cancer research being undertaken at the Western Australian Institute for Medical Research (WAIMR), Western Australias premier adult medical research institute, investigating the genetic and environmental causes of a range of diseases.
I'm doing this in honour of my family members lost to this horrid disease and to give others the opportunity for more time with their special people!
As part of my entry I need to fund raise a minimum of $2500 to take part in the actual ride. I really hate asking for donations but I've been told that it's the only way! Do you have a spare $2? Every little bit helps. Any donations, however big or small will go a long way to supporting this amazing cause. All money raised will go directly to support cancer patients and families.
Your donation will be paid directly into a WAIMR bank account, so funds will be available for its immediate use. There will be no need to wait until the event is over for the presentation of a big cardboard cheque.
WAIMR is registered with the Australian Taxation Office as a Deductible Gift Recipient, so everyone who donates $2 or more will receive a Tax Receipt.
I'm hoping to also hunt down a few big sponsors in the way of Perth businesses If you have any other ideas or experience with fund raising large amounts of money I would absolutely LOVE to hear them!! I'm thinking car washes and sausage sizzles. What else???
Please click here or any picture above to donate!
Please feel free to share my plea for help!
Big smooshy thank you kisses in advance!!
Doing it for
Theresa Ballantyne passed away on the 30/08/1986
Veronica May Stuart 05/05/1962 - 17/11/1992
James John Stuart 01/03/1932 - 04/01/2000
and everyone else who has been affected by cancer
Joining up with Jess for her last ever #IBOT over at Diary of a SAHM before her big unveiling over at Essentially Jess!
And because this is such an awesome important cause I'm also flashing my blog over with Bree at Twinkle in the Eye and flogging my blog with Grace at With Some Grace
