This September our chosen charity for the month is Myeloma UK.
Our wonderful Subsciber Kelvin Mackay has been raising money for Myeloma UK after his beuatiful niece Bronwyn was sadly taken by this devastating disease.
https://ride.myeloma.org.uk/kelvin-mackay
In memory of Bronwyn Farquharson
26/07/2011 - 31/12/2018
6 years ago my niece Bronwyn was diagnosed with a rare form of blood cancer called myeloma aged 6 years old.
Myeloma mainly affects those over the age of 65, although around 25% of patients are younger.
Sadly Bronwyn passed away on New Years Eve the same year, aged just 7 years old.
Bronwyn was full of life, and loved creating characters and telling stories. She was an active member of the local roller hockey team and enjoyed watching the Dundee Ducks ice hockey team. Her dad played for them and she surely would’ve joined them too one day.
No parent should ever outlive their child, and certainly not at that age.
6 months or so earlier my best friend Marc was also diagnosed with myeloma and is currently in remission and doing well.
I had never heard of myeloma before this and did not quite understand just how life changing it could be.
Myeloma is a rare and incurable type of blood cancer where DNA is damaged during the development of cells. These abnormal cells then start to multiply and spread within the bone marrow throughout the body.
I have sky dived, held 4 coffee mornings, cycled from London-Paris in 2022 so needed to set myself a tougher challenge this year to encourage people to donate
This April I completed Etape Loch Ness, starting at 05:30 and cycling over 100Km and taking on over 1000m of brutal climbing in just over 4.5 hours.
Then at the end of May I left Dumfries and cycled right up to Aberdeen in a Coast to Coast challenge over 3 days. 385Km 4,252m of climbing (thats equivalent to 3 x the height of Ben Nevis.........and in Scottish weather! 🫣
Now to finish my challenge in September I will cycle from London - Paris ( a distance of over 500Km) in 4 days. I expect long days with hopefully less wind and rain than the Coast To Coast, I've asked for lots of sunshine to get to that final climb towards the Eiffel Tower coming into sight, safe in the knowledge that even in these tough times that people will hopefully still be donating towards this great cause in the fight to find a cure for myeloma
Myeloma UK are the only organisation in the UK that focus solely on research to help patients live longer and will one day find a cure I`m sure.
I walked walked away from a career I loved in coffee to work full time for Myeloma UK now to help them in their plight to find a cure.
But that will only happen If they can continue to fund the research necessary so please please please, even if only a fiver, give what you can to help make a difference.
However much you can donate, It will all be greatly appreciated by myself, Bronwyn’s family and Myeloma UK.
Please help me raise awareness and as much money for this charity who receive no government support whatsoever.
Please share this story even if you are unable to donate, and help raise awareness of this relatively unknown disease.
Every time we act together, we increase the pace of change. Early diagnosis
will overtake delays. Personalised treatments will transform prognosis. Incurable will become curable.
Together, we are the cure.
