Swan song for Sue - please support

GraceB

Hi,

I do hope I don't break any forum rules by posting this - if I have please forgive me - but I think all of us have either been affected by cancer or know someone who has.

Last year we lost my sister Sue to pancreatic cancer. Her diagnosis was confirmed Christmas Eve 2012 and she was given 6-9 months. She died 26th February 2013.

Sue's eldest son - my nephew Jamie - has some friends who are currently raising money for the Hospice here in Ashford which helped Sue (they also supported my Dad when he was dying last October with lung cancer). My sister Sue lost her eldest daughter - Kirsty - to cancer when Kirsty was just 20. Kirsty left a 10 month old baby girl who is extremely precious to us all. When I was 5 my birth mother died of cancer, Sue was 9 at the time, and my little brother Andrew was 4.

As you can see our family has been badly affected by this dreadful disease.

Jamie's mates - Olly, Lloyd and Alan are currently paddling up canals in a swan pedalo called Penelope. Yes - this really is true - believe me! They are travelling from the Stoke area and intend to paddle 140 miles.

Their website is: http://www.swansongforsue.com and I post this in a request to please 'like' this if you use the internet. There's a tracking tool on the website so you can see where they've got to. Please can you pass the word around as we'd like as many people as possible to be aware of this fantastic fundraising event. Thank you.

Also, if you are in that area and you see the lads paddling by please support them. Drinks, snacks, etc would be very welcome, and if you are able to help with local access to showers, or somewhere sheltered they could camp, that'd be wonderful. Naturally any verbal encouragment would also be exremely welcome. All three of the lads are camping out every night, and have taken two weeks of their annual leave do so this.

Thank you for reading.

GraceB

dreamdaisy

Oh how I wish I live nearer than I do so I could rock up and shout encouragement to the lads - what a splendid effort by them and for such a worthy cause. Your family has been hit very hard by cancer and I wish them well in their fundraising. DD

barbara12

Hello Grace
I lost my mum,dad and eldest brother to Cancer, and like your sister our dear Val off the forum ie Vals Cafe lost her battle against pancreatic cancer,so I will certainly go and have a look at there website, I just wished I lived near I would go along and cheer them on..bless them and please give them my thanks and love x

GraceB

Thanks DD and Barbara.

I had a feeling we'd lost our ValVal. I wasn't posting for some of last year due to everything kicking off with my Dad - I was staggering from task to task and I am ashamed to say it was enough for me to keep upright so checking the forum was one of those things I had to shelve at the time.

Val was such a lovely lady and so supportive for me via PM'ing when my sister was just diagnosed. This disease always affects those family and friends who are wonderful people.

Take care everyone,
GraceB

tkachev

I have lost 2 friends to pancreatic cancer in the past 2 months so have supported their chosen charities as best I can. It has such a dreadful survival rate so have supported pancreatic cancer's search for a cure and a hospice fund which helped my friend in his final weeks, plus buy weekly tickets from a local hospice lottery. I will definitely be hitting that like button on behalf of your family.


Oh boy I am 51. Same age.

Elizabeth xx

frogmorton

Wish I'd read this sooner as I actually probably could have seen them.

Good cause Grace thanks for posting

love

Toni xxx

tjt6768

It's a fantastic cause hun. I've lost quite a few friends n family to the horror that is cancer. I wish the lads all the success in the world!
I'll check the website later.
Xx

Kitty

This is such a good cause. I already support Macmillan, Marie Curie, Breast Cancer Care and the Maggie's Cancer charity. I found Maggie's when I had breast cancer. I was diagnosed November 2012, after surgery and chemo and now tablets, there is currently no evidence of disease. Lost a very dear friend a few weeks ago from secondary breast cancer. I'm off to hit 'like'.

Kath xx

dachshund

Hello GraceB
I know how hard cancer is i have lost 6 relations including my mum and dad. and 7 friends and my favorite dog.
i wish them all the best with the paddle
joan xx

GraceB

thank you everyone.

When I looked at their website yesterday, it appears that initially they thought the trip was 140 miles. A re-calculation has now been done and it's turned out they'll be paddling for 160 miles and not the 140 as originally thought! Yikes!

All encouragement, positive thoughts and vibes are most welcome.

GraceB

stickywicket

Well done, those young men. I think they'll have very sore knees at the end of it but hats off to them.

Starburst

Oh Grace, my heart goes out to you, you've experienced so much loss in your family. What special boys, doing something so wonderful. I'm only sorry I don't live closer but I will put it on my facebook page. Are you on facebook? Arthritis Care have a page and may share it if you ask?

GraceB

Starburst,

No I'm not on facebook or Twitter come to that. I did have a peep at joining but wouldn't know where to start! :oops:

I understand the lads are now on the Oxford Canal. Keep going lads! You're doing wonderful things!

Please cheer them on if you are in the area. Thank you.

GraceB

GraceB

Well, as of yesterday afternoon, they were on the Oxford Canal.

Yahay boys! Keep going!

I am full of admiration (and envy) for these young, fit people who are able to do such philanthropic and generous things. I just wish I could do more that way myself.

Don't forget people - if you see them, please cheer them on.

Thanks.

GraceB

GraceB

They are now plastered all over the Nuneaton News and still paddling away love them. My brother contacted his local paper and they've run a story on this as well.

Sorry to keep bumping this up but I think most people will have been affected in some way by cancer and I feel it's really important that such fundraising attempts get as much recognition as possible.

Again, I'd ask if you are on their route please, please, please cheer them on. You can see where they are via http://www.swansongforsue.com and then go to their 'track us' page.

Thank you.
Grace B

tkachev

They have had lovely weather. Shame they are not travelling further as the Grand Union canal is right behind my OH parent's house.

Elizabeth

GraceB

thank you Elizabeth. I'm not sure they'll want to go any further though!

They are still going strong I understand. Such a wonderful thing to do - everyone in the family is so grateful for them and what a lovely way for my sister to be remembered by so many people, a large number of whom sadly never had the chance to meet her in person.

If any of you are in the Oxford area on Saturday near to the canal, please can you go and cheer them as they approach the finish? I don't have a rough time but if I do find out I will post on here.

Thank you.
GraceB

GraceB

Am being really cheeky with this and bumping it up as they are nearly finished!

Way to go lads! Brilliant job! Thank you so, so much. Sue would have been chuffed to monkeys. Wonderful way for her to be remembered.

GraceB

tkachev

I have made a donation but did have some issues where I didn't get clicked through to the final message and confirmation bit. However it is showing as paid on my email confirmation. PM me if you have any problems with it.

Glad the weather is a little cooler for them.

Elizabeth x

GraceB

Well the lads finished as planned and I think have raised somewhere in the region of about £3,000 that they know of so far.

If you were able to go to the finish point and cheer them as they landed Penelope at about 4.30pm on Saturday 14th June, thank you.

GraceB

stickywicket

Well done the lads! And Penelope

GraceB

Hi, some of you may remember me posting this in the summer.

I just wanted to thank everyone who either donated or encouraged the lads on this challenge.

The monies raised have now been given to The Pilgrims Hospice here and the lads raised just over £3,400!!!

Such a lovely thing in memory of my sister Sue who is still so much missed. The Hospice helped my late Father and my late neice (my late sister's daughter) and they do wonderful work.

Thank you.

GraceB