Judith Barfoot
I DID IT! THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR FABULOUS SUPPORT! C25K - 9/10/21
Fundraising for Macmillan Cancer Support
Story
Hi everyone 🙂
Firstly, thank you for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page!
Apologies in advance regarding the length of my not so wee story - just got a bit carried away as usual. 🙃 I'm not really expecting you to read ALL of this, as it is rather loooooong and it really is not my intention to bore the pants of you - you may just want to focus on the highlighted parts - you have been warned - lol!
PERSONAL CIRCUMSTANCES As you know, I was quite unexpectedly diagnosed with womb cancer in March 2021 and was incredibly lucky and extremely grateful, particularly given the covid situation at the time, to receive major gynae surgery in May, which successfully removed the cancer🙏. This major life changing event, experienced by so many others, launched me into a very different, caring and humbling world and has significantly changed my outlook on life, I believe for the better.
PERSONAL CHALLENGE Let me first just say I am NOT a 'natural' runner nor ever will be, however in order to help with my rehabilitation and recovery and with a view of raising as much money as possible for Macmillan Cancer Support 💚 I (along with my forever inspirational bestie ❤ and fellow 'hystersister' - check that one out!) took the headstaggers and enrolled on a Couch to 5K 🏃♀️ programme with Jog Moira Running Club which started mid August. This programme is designed to take participants from zero to running 5K - (techincally 3.107 miles - every stride counts you know!!! 🥵). Most programmes run for 9/10 weeks, however my club's training, held for approximately an hour, twice a week, is being delivered over an 8 week period!! 😱
I will be completing my 'Graduation' grand finale 5K run for Macmillan on Saturday 9th October (not 27/9 as incorrectly recorded above) as part of the official 5K Park Run held in Wallace Park, Lisburn.
WHY FUNDRAISE FOR MACMILLAN CANCER SUPPORT? Simple - I choose the Macmillan charity as a direct result of the outstanding care and support I have received from a number of fantastically caring Macmillan staff since the very start of my cancer journey. Fundraising and completing my 5K challenge is a very small way for me to thank and give something back to Macmillan and show my appreciation for all their help given to me and sooooooo many others affected by cancer.
I feel I must also acknowledge all the other various, invaluable and loving support received from my parents, my family, my partner, my fabulous friends (old and new), work colleagues and last but by no means least, our wonderful NHS staff. ❤💚
Did you know?:-
- Macmillan relies on fundraising for 98% of their support, which is remarkably offered free of charge to anyone affected by cancer!
Again, like so many others I have benefited hugely from the diverse range of services Macmillan Cancer Support offer, including:-
- a Macmillan Gynae Oncology Clinical Nurse Specialist who delivered my cancer diagnosis and remains one of my medical point of contacts.
- the Macmillan Move More Programme, which focuses on becoming more active when living with or after cancer. This programme is delivered by a Macmillan Move More Co-ordinator who is a qualified Fitness Instructor. I received assistance prior to my surgery and have very recently started a weekly Pilates class. 🧘🏻♀️
- a Macmillan Health & Wellbeing Co-ordinator, who has provided me with a heap of practical advice and support and introduced me to the highly informative and comprehensive Macmillan Cancer Booklets and the truely excellent Macmillan Website. Both resources quite literally cover every cancer related topic under the sun!
I really will be eternally grateful to the Macmillan Team 😇😇😇 especially for all their assistance immediately following my diagnosis, which on reflection was a pretty scary, overwhelming and surreal time in my life 🤯🤯................. however that was several months ago and this is now - onwards and upwards! 😁 🥳
5K TRAINING 🏃♀️ Mmmmmmm, well to be honest up until very recently I had been finding the training sessions extremely difficult. 🥵🥵 Unfortunately I am not built like nor have the fitness levels of Dame Kelly Holmes and I suppose I can use the excuse that I am still physically recovering from relatively recent major surgery! 😉 Having now just finished week 7 and with just one more training week to go, although still as slow as a snail 🐌, I am now finally getting into some sort of more regular comfortable pace. Whilst I am not interested in setting any new major world records 🤣 I am however determined to complete the 5K course - running the whole distance and hopefully finishing in one piece!!!!!
BRING IT ON!!!! 🏃♀️🏃♀️🏃♀️🏃♀️🏃♀️🏃♀️🏃♀️🏃♀️🏃♀️🏃♀️
I sincerely hope you have found small parts of my wee tale interesting and perhaps informative and can understand why this is such a personal and also currently physically demanding challenge for me.
It would mean so much to both Macmillan Cancer Support and myself if you could consider making a donation to this brilliant charity.
If you would like to make a donation and for those unfamiliar with JustGiving, donations can be made on-line using a secure bank transfer, Google Pass, credit or debit card or by PayPal, by tapping on the green Give Now tab below - clear instructions will be provided. You do not need to add a contribution to JustGiving on top of any donation made to Macmillan - tap the dropdown within the JustGiving box, select other, don't enter an amount and press continue.
If you would prefer to make an off-line cash/cheque donation please feel free to contact me on 07830107580 and I can advise accordingly.
Here is an idea of how money donated will enable Macmillan to continue providing emotional, financial, medical and practical support and in so doing make a real positive difference to those people affected by cancer in Northern Ireland:-
- £5 donation - could pay for the translation of 20 pages of Macmillan information resource into Braille
- £10 donation - every £10 Macmillan. spend on their Macmillan Phone Service could help people affected by cancer claim £355 in benefits they are entitled to.
- £20 donation - could
help run Macmillan's Online Community for over an hour, helping 111 people affected by cancer to connect with each other. - £25 donation - could provide an hour on Macmillan's Support Line, giving vital information and support to those that need it.
- £50 donation - can ensure a Macmillan Nurse is there when someone is diagnosed with cancer.
Thank you.
Judith x 💚
An additional note from Macmillan Cancer Support:- At Macmillan Cancer Support we give people with cancer everything we've got. If you’re diagnosed, your worries are our worries. We’re doing whatever it takes. But without your help Macmillan can’t support everyone who needs them.
An additional note re JustGiving:- Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs.