Get A-Head news

This challenge is being taken up by 28 girls from various parts of the country to trek for 5 days in the high Atlas Mountains to the summit of the mighty Mount Toubkal (13,671 feet) - North Africa's highest peak. This includes some very demanding and steep climbs. Each day will be intensive trekking from 6am with at least 6-8 hours per day covering between 12-14kms, with the final day trekking up to the summit for 10- 12 hours covering 20 kms.

The purpose of the trek is to raise money for the “Get A-Head” charity, specifically to fund a junior doctor/PhD medical student to do a 3 year research programme into the extremely rare condition Familial Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma. The aim of “Get A-Head” is to support both adults and children with head and neck diseases, but especially those with cancer. The three main funding areas are equipment, research and education. This challenge is fundraising specifically for research. Unless we can understand how a disease works at its most basic level, it is difficult to develop new treatments. Sam Bromwich is co-ordinating this challenge, with her close links to the “Get A-head” charity due to the thyroid cancer problems in her family.

Between now and the leaving date we will be organising many events to fund raise and also each individual participant will be setting up their own just giving page to receive donations.

If you would like to make a donation please do it through Sam’s just giving page link here:

www.justgiving.com/sambromwich-trekahead

This year we moved to a new venue, the Nautical Club in Bishopsgate Street, Near Five Ways, Birmingham and so it was that on Friday 4th December, we all met up for our annual celebration of not only Xmas, but meeting everyone in a social environment. The food was lovely and the atmosphere in the room was heightened by the superb decorations put up by Helen and Ricki who run the club, so thanks to them!! Dennis Price and Fran Gurney spent most of the day preparing the layout for the prizes - along with Shirley - who does a superb job of 'organising' the tickets and the numbers board for the ever-popular tombola. Fran's daughter Amanda and their friend Deirdre were once again on duty - and it if it weren't for the people mentioned above, we wouldn't have had such a successful party - so thank you very much for giving up your time to help 'Get A-Head'. AND, it certainly wouldn't have been possible without the support of the patients - or should we say, friends, who attended on the night! Merry Christmas to all of you and watch this space for news of next year's date. (more pics to come!)

The Christmas Party for the Patient Support Group will be held on Friday 4th December 2009 at the Nautical Club in Bishopsgate Street, Birmingham. Please let the office know if you would like to attend so we can cater accordingly for the guests! We look forward to seeing you there.

Well, we are all just recovering from an amazing Ball held at the Metropole last night. All the planning and hard work with a dedicated team has paid off and we raised well in excess of £100,000. More details and those all important pictures to follow! Thanks to all 675 of you who joined us and gave your support to what was a spectacular fundraising event!!

Hi Everyone – I have a story for you to read, as I am trying to raise some money for a worthwhile cause. 12 years ago I was diagnosed with Thyroid cancer and went to see an ENT consultant in Chester. He told me I had the disease and arranged for me to have my thyroid removed. Then a person I knew told me that they were friends with a head and neck surgeon and that I should speak to him as well (probably the best advice I have ever received). That was when I was introduced to a consultant named John Watkinson. I will cut to the chase at this point. John told me the disease was advanced and he needed to remove my thyroid and do a neck dissection to remove all the cancerous nodules. After the operation I was given radioiodine to kill off any leftovers. My operation was a success and I maintain annual check ups with John.
For one reason or another I have never raised funds for this charity, although I have done extensive fundraising for cancer research and other causes in the past 12 years. I think that maybe I thought raising money for Get A-Head was self indulgent and maybe I didn’t want reminding of what I went through other than my yearly checkups. Now a little older and a lot wiser, I have decided to put this right and hopefully you will support me running this half marathon and a very very very worthwhile cause.
If the people involved didn’t do what they do, then I wouldn’t be here today. Please give generously - many thanks
To donate – please follow the online instructions - http://www.justgiving.com/John-Davies1