I am half-way through completing 10 miles a day to raise money for Myeloma UK.
What have I learned during these past two weeks? Quite a bit about myself, about other people and about endurance:
- I am a lot stronger than I thought! – I’ve been amazed by what my body can accomplish. I am no gym bunny and I never thought I’d be able to manage 2 hours on the cross trainer. Yet, I can now do this with ease and even (sometimes) enjoy it as I listen to podcasts and music.
- It’s tough to share – in order to raise funds I’ve had to do things I normally would not and as someone who is very private, I find it difficult to publicly post about our cancer story. Yet, that is part of doing a challenge like this.
- People are kind – I am surrounded by many people who give me support. Friends from unexpected places cheering on from the sidelines, offering to do some of the walks with me, suggesting I go out for dinner or coffee or just checking in with me. That’s been so helpful and wonderful.
- People are unaware – on the other hand, when you post publicly, you invite comment and that I don’t like. From people who use your post to hijack their own fundraising to others who start writing about people they know with cancer or, even worse, private message you with health advice! Part of the reason for doing this challenge is to raise awareness of this very unique bone marrow cancer. If I knew nothing about it before it happened to us, why would anyone else? Why do people think they can actually give us health advice when they are totally unqualified to do so?
5. This is the hardest part – half-way through I have raised quite a bit. I don’t know if I’ve reached everyone who is willing to donate. I know that people who have donated, are likely to scroll past thinking “I’ve done that” yet there is also no reason why someone couldn’t donate twice! I deliberately don’t ask directly for donations. It is up to whoever catches sight of the posts or sees my posters in the gym etc. I know there are others who fully intend to donate but then forget about it. It’s hard to be fund-raising and it’s all about people seeing things at the right time. What I do know is that if people don’t donate, for whatever reason, it is nothing personal.
6 All this exercise is good for my own mental health – I do struggle with Nick’s diagnosis. I sometimes wake up in the morning with a sense of dread and anxiety but knowing I need to keep moving every day and keep going is motivating.
7 It’s easier to do something every day – there’s no negotiating or debating with myself about whether I’m going to do the challenge or not. It’s all about how I’m going to do it and how and if I’m going to split it up into separate walk and cross-trainer and just get on with it!
Each quarter throughout 2024, I will complete a different challenge.
March 2024 – walk 10 miles a day at my health club and outdoors.
“Cancer cannot cripple love, it cannot shatter hope, it cannot conquer the spirit.”
Unknown
