Hi there and welcome to the June edition of the makeabigdifference newsletter; Young Heroes one stop shop for all the latest stories and fundraising news from the charity.
The first respite breaks of the year have taken place, seeing the return of Bev Law, the charities’ Health Support Co-Ordinator and volunteer husband Rob. Welcome back home guys! Bev and Rob play a very important role within Young Heroes and have an amazing rapport with the young people and families they meet. Often flooded with compliments and praise, Bev and Rob remain modest about their roles but they are very much an asset to the Young Heroes team.
In this newsletter we hear from Akky Rahman who along with best friend Soheil enjoyed a relaxing respite break in Lanzarote. We also speak to Sean Keenan, father of young hero Alicia, who were the last family to benefit from a respite break this season.
With summer on the horizon (weather permitting) tis the season for BBQing. Casa Nissar, the charities’ villa in Lanzarote gained a new addition last month in form of a brand new BBQ which was kindly donated by Charlie Dowen. You can read the full article in this months newsletter.
Katie’s corner this month, oozes summer treat delights with tasty recipes to compliment any meal.
We also bring you the latest fundraising and donation news and hear from those who have raised hundreds of pounds for Young Heroes. It is truly remarkable that the country is still in financial uncertainty yet people are so generous to donate money to charity, we feel very humbled and are most grateful for all the support we receive.
Until next time,
Kim Tetlaw
Editor
Diary of marathon runner
In last months newsletter we featured an article about Trudie Newlove, the Driffield woman who ran the first ever Brighton Marathon for Young Heroes.
Here Trudie kindly shares her thoughts of the big event, good and bad, including her brush with ‘the wall’, celebrity runners, spongebob and why she has decided to run next years’ marathon.
“What a fantastic experience!
On the journey down to Brighton the day before I was a little bit apprehensive and I had all kinds of phantom ailments – aching legs, knees that wouldn’t bend properly, sore neck, creaking hips etc etc…….
We met up with my friend Claire who was also doing the marathon and she was exactly the same! Made me feel a lot better!
The marathon day dawned and was great. It was warm and sunny and perfect.
The runners all assembled according to their predicted running times in different coloured ‘corrals’
I was orange (the slowest estimated time!) What an amazing atmosphere! Everyone was in such a good mood and there were runners of all shapes and sizes, ages and abilities. They all had one thing in common though… everyone was smiling!
We even had a celebrity in our midst, Norman Cook (Fat Boy Slim) – not in the Orange corral of course!
I set off really slowly, and from the very beginning the spectators were shouting and clapping and encouraging everyone. It was quite emotional and I was in little tears some of the time!
I’d decided to pace myself and walk for a couple of minutes every eight miles (that sounds good doesn’t it!) but that idea soon fell by the wayside.
Up until fifteen miles I was tootling on very nicely, then once I got to sixteen, seventeen, eighteen and nineteen miles my legs no longer belonged to me. There were times when I walked, and times when I staggered, but I kept going. The best bit was when I passed an energy station handing out jelly cubes of pure ‘energy boosting mega dooberrys’ (or whatever they were called) and was only supposed to take one. I rammed a handful into my mouth and that did the trick for a few more miles!
At mile twenty two there was a mock up of ‘the wall’ that all marathon runners hit, and boy did I hit that wall! At that point I wanted me mum!
The rest of the way was just a matter of putting one foot in front of the other and just getting to the end.
People were shouting and cheering and yelling out runners’ names to encourage them (I’d forgotten to write my name on my T shirt so they were shouting ‘Come on Impact’ to me!) That kept me going.
Another thing that kept me going were the fantastic people in fancy dress. We had a fireman in full regalia including oxygen tanks, a few Rambo’s and action men, a Superman, a male green fairy in a tutu, a man in a giant Sumo suit (he must have been boiling), Spongebob Squarepants and a man dressed as a giant pair of comedy testicles (in aid of testicular cancer). He got a lot of lewd shouts!
I finally, finally, finally, got to the end and as I did I spotted my friends cheering like mad! I crossed the finish line at 5 hours 39 minutes and was an emotional, blubbing, exhausted wreck!
I collected my medal and goody bag and then had to walk another hundred miles (that’s what it seemed like) to meet up with my lovely chap and friends…………. that’s when I decided I wanted to do it all again next year………………….. It was the worst and best thing I’ve ever done! Fantastic.
I’d recommend it to anyone, and all in a good cause. Altogether I raised £682.10 for Impact Young Heroes”.
Young Hero gets his big break
Mohammed Rahman (Akky as he is known to many) recently returned from his respite break in Lanzarote where he was accompanied by best friend Suhiol.
The 22 year old from Oldham was left disappointed last year when his break had to be postponed last minute due to health reasons so the trip this time round was all the more special and very much the well deserved break he needed.
However just weeks before his dream break, Akky faced an anxious wait when the volcanic ash cloud hit UK airspace, causing thousands of planes to be grounded and the increasing risk of Akky’s break being postponed again. In a stroke of luck, flights resumed the night before his scheduled respite break and away the pair flew to the beautiful island of Lanzarote.
Akky was diagnosed back in 2008 with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, a cancer of the white blood cells (the cells in the body that normally fight infections) and is accountable for about 75 to 80 percent of the childhood and teenage leukemia’s.
Since his diagnosis, Akky has spent the best part of 3 years in and out of hospital receiving treatments, undergoing tests and attending weekly checkups, which he admits left him feeling drained both physically and mentally.
Last year, when interviewed for the makeabigdifference newsletter, Akky explained that he was mostly looking forward to not having to think about hospitals, treatments and his illness.
His respite break not only gave him that opportunity but also the chance to relax and recuperate in a beautiful and warm environment. It was also the perfect excuse for fun and laughter with his best friend which is evident in his photos.
Here Akky talks us through his Young Heroes experience and explains why he would recommend a respite break to other young people.
“From the start Bev and Rob supported me throughout my holiday, making sure I had access to transport due to my knees. They helped me emotionally as they built my self esteem and morale with their kindness and caring personalities.
I had an amazing time while I was there and was able to forget about my illness thanks to them.
I explored quite alot of the region, again thanks to Rob and Bev for providing me with transport to access areas to explore like the volcanoes and the many different beaches. As I mostly wanted to relax I limited myself to activities.
Although the island is beautiful I mainly enjoyed being away from my normal life of hospital appointments and dealing with my illness.
The villa was outstanding and could not have asked for more, and the supermarket was local enough for me to access, as well the beach.
Over all this experience was amazing, thanks to Bev and Rob, Charlie and Steve. It provided me with an opportunity to relax and leave my worries for a while and enjoy spending time with myself and my best friend.
I would most definitely recommend this to others as it will help them mentally, and enjoy being away from all their troubles even if it is for a week”.
Thank you to…..
Young Heroes would like to say a big thank you to Charlie and Stephen Dowen from Milton Keynes for their kind donation of a new BBQ for use at Casa Nissar, Lanzarote.
The first young hero to benefit from the BBQ was Akky Rahman and friend Soheil (pictured below).
From L to R Soheil, Charlie, Stephen, Akky, Rob, Bev.
The BBQ will certainly be utilised well and we are most grateful for your kind gesture and ongoing support.
Fundraising Idea of the Month
Pub amenities evening
Most pubs have items in them that can be used to generate funds. One of the most common events is to hold a pool tournament if you have pool tables available.
Get every contestant to pay an entry fee and have a small trophy at the end for the winner and runner up. This way, you do not have to spend a huge amount on prizes, but can get a large number of people involved.
You can even take small bets on who will win the tournament and tally up all the money at the end of the evening.
If you have a very generous landlord, they may even donate a portion of their takings for the evening to Young Heroes.
Another great way of utilising the amenities at hand in your local pub is to set up a dart competition.
Again, get as many people as possible involved and even try some fun alternative ways of playing. Play in teams, men against women, or play blindfolded for a real twist. Offer prizes and charge for entry so you’re covering any advertising costs.
If team competitions aren’t really your thing, why not hold a karaoke event to raise money. Again, offer prizes for the winners, but charge an entry fee to the event for those who want to be part of the audience.
A karaoke is a great chance at selling extra money-making products such as raffle tickets or lucky dips.
Latest Cancer News
Allergy sufferers less likely to develop cancer
People who suffer from allergies are less likely to develop cancer than others, scientists in America have stated.
Research carried out by a team at Texas Tech University looked into the possible link between the development of ovarian cancer and allergies to airborne substances.
They found that children with allergies to certain airborne particles were 40 per cent less likely to develop leukemia than their peers without such intolerance.
In addition, asthmatics were found to be around 30 per cent less likely to develop ovarian cancer over their lifetimes.
The researchers believe that such adverse reactions help stimulate the immune system from an early age and therefore make it better-equipped to deal with more serious conditions further down the line.
Study team leader Dr Zuber Mulla said: “More work is still needed, but the numbers show that allergy is a statistically significant protective factor.”
Sourced from:
http://www.canceradvice.co.uk/cancer-news
Hair-raising success
At the latter end of 2009 the mother of Young Hero Dan Hewitt ran a successful fundraising event for Young Heroes at Salon 36 Hair Studio in Birdwell, Barnsley. Yvonne, along with friends and family worked tirelessly for weeks to produce knitted scarves and beautifully painted print calendars to sell in the salon. Alongside the crafts, a lucky dip raffle was organised with some fabulous prizes up for grabs.
6 months past the event, money has still been pouring in from generous individuals buying the crafts and making donations, but Young Heroes are now pleased to announce the grant total.
A staggering ?600.00 was raised!
The total even astounded Yvonne and husband Mark, “I was so pleased with the amount raised for Young Heroes, we were left gobsmacked. When we totaled it all up Mark wanted me to recount it because we couldn’t believe it” Yvonne said.
Along with all the people who got involved with the event, Yvonne would particularly like to thank Jude Evens (pictured below with guide dog Poppy). Jude was the first customer to buy raffle tickets and made several donations throughout November and December.
Yvonne would also like to say a special thank you to mother-in-law Julia Fox who owns Salon 36 Hair Studio and Dan’s sister Terri for organising the lucky dip prizes and taking photos on the day.
Young Heroes would like to take this opportunity to thank Yvonne and all those involved in making the fundraising event as successful as it was. ?600.00 is a phenomenal amount of money and will make such a difference to a young person living with cancer. Well done everyone!
Are you searching for the next great fundraising event to get involved in?
There are plenty on the horizon. If you are looking for inspiration, have a look at
the events calendar on JustGiving.com
Every penny you raise is really important to us.
Raising money for us through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. They send the money you raise directly to us and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. It means that you raise more, while saving time and cutting costs for us.
When you have chosen your event, this little guide will help you to get started….
Thank you for your support, and good luck with your fundraising.
Relaxing break for the Keenan’s
“The break undoubtedly recharged our batteries and helped us to relax as a family”. These are the words of Sean Keenan reflecting on his families’ recent respite break in Lanzarote.
Daughter Alicia (13) was referred to Young Heroes by her Clic Sargent worker and is bravely recovering from Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) a cancer of the blood in which too many granulocytes (a type of white blood cell) are produced in the bone marrow.
The family flew out to Lanzarote on the 18th May where they were greeted by Bev and Rob Law, the charities’ Health Support Co-Ordinators. Over the next 7 days Sean, Denise, Alicia and younger brother Ciaran made the most of the beautiful weather and surroundings and what’s more they spent precious time together as a family, relaxing and having fun.
Here Sean kindly shares with us his families’ experience of the respite break and explains what they enjoyed most.
“During our break, we visited the local market in Playa Blanca and the market in Teguise; however I have to say that our favorite place was Timanfaya, the volcano site.
The villa was absolutely stunning and is sited in a very tranquil spot with a wonderful view of the sea. The break undoubtedly recharged our batteries and helped us to relax as a family.
We would certainly recommend this respite break to other families and young people as a result of our break we feel totally refreshed and together as a family.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank ‘Young Heroes’ for providing us with this unique opportunity to enjoy a most wonderful holiday – much appreciated.
We would also like to thank Bev and Robert Law for their kindness and ‘devotion to duty’ and attention to detail during our stay. The support we received from them was absolutely brilliant”.
Many thanks to Sean Keenan for sharing their experience with us.
Katie’s Corner
Summer is here at last
Three quick and easy puddings!
In preparation for my Dad’s special birthday next month me and my Mum have hunted out our favourite recipes for the family barbecue.
We hope that the weather is good and you enjoy these desserts as much as we do! J
Easy peasy cheesecake
Base:
15 digestive biscuits
3oz margarine
1 dessert spoon of sugar
Crush biscuits, add sugar, add melted margarine and mix well. Flatten into a flan dish and place in fridge to chill.
Filling:
1 large tub of Philadelphia or supermarket cream cheese
1 packet of dream topping
3 fluid oz of milk
Put all ingredients in a bowl and whisk. Spread over the biscuit base and put back in the fridge to chill. Serve with fresh fruit on top, strawberries are good or alternatively a tin of peaches.
Yummy Eton mess
Ingredients:
1 pint double cream (whipped)
1 pound fresh strawberries
Meringues
2 tsp. sugar (optional)
A dash of port, Madeira or pureed strawberries (optional)
Break up meringues into roughly 1” pieces and place in a large mixing bowl, add the chopped strawberries then fold in cream around them. After that gently fold in the optional items if using them, put in serving dish and spoon more puree over the top if using.
Scrummy banoffee pie
Base:
100g (3 ½ oz) butter
9oz digestive biscuits (ginger or hobnobs make a tasty change, or a mix of digestive and ginger)
Crush biscuits, stir in melted butter, press into base (loose bottom tin is best) leave to chill in the fridge.
Filling:
3 ½ oz butter
3 ½ oz dark brown soft sugar
397g can carnation condensed milk
Place butter and sugar into saucepan, on a low heat and stir until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Add condensed milk and bring gently to boil, stir continuously. When caramel has started to boil, remove from heat and pour on biscuit base. Leave in the fridge for an hour.
Topping:
4 small bananas
300ml carton double cream (whipped)
Grated chocolate
Slice bananas and place one layer over the caramel, if you have any left fold them into the cream or save them for the top. Spoon the cream on top of the layered bananas and sprinkle with grated chocolate.
Family fun at Medieval Picnic
Later this month the idyllic village of Sheriff Hutton in York will step back in time to host an amazing medieval fundraising event in aid of Young Heroes.
Fittingly the village has its own castle which dates back as far as 1382, making it the ideal historic venue to hold such an event.
The event has been brainstormed by current owners of the castle Dr Richard and Jenny Howarth and their committee.
The event takes place on Saturday 26th June from 2.00pm onwards at the castle and promises to be a fantastic day for the whole family.
With a medieval fancy dress parade, face painting, craft stalls, tug of war competition and wacky races to name but a few, it’s a day out not to be missed.
For further details and directions to Sheriff Hutton please visit http://www.sheriffhutton.co.uk
We look forward to seeing you there…