£50KB450 in aid of Myeloma UK

So, whilst life might suck in so much as my myeloma has returned, I will not let it get me down (well not all the time anyway!)

I decided when I relapsed in 2019, that to give me something positive to focus on, that I would challenge myself to raise £50KB450 ….. £50,000 before my 50th birthday (25/1/25). Now I know that’s a long way off, but I’m currently a year down the line with chemotherapy, have had my second (and final) Stem Cell Transplant and have months of ongoing treatment ahead of me ….so it’s a time that I need to be able to include time to focus on my health and my family, perhaps only dipping into the fundraising piece as and when I feel well enough.

I am also trying to use this challenge as a ‘Call to Action’ for friends, family and acquaintances who might want to raise money to support Myeloma UK. They have been the most amazing charity who support trials that help keep patients alive, fund research and training, and perhaps most importantly, support patients like myself.

So the idea is that anyone who wants to, can do an event or activity that raises money for the charity, and then either donates via my £50KB450 fundraising page, or they set up their own just giving page, join my £50KB450 team, and it all contributes to my target 🙂

As I write this in July, just over a year after I started this, we’re already on over £33,000 through a number of events! Just another £17,000 to go (but we do have just over 3 years to achieve it so no rush!). So far, the following has taken place or is planned – I’m so excited about everything!

  1. Mike has cycled from Wolverhampton to Abergovey
  2. Julie has sold ‘Bags with Attitude’
  3. I have set up a challenge to get 50 businesses to donate £50 – 12 donated so far
  4. Creative Minds did a bucket collection
  5. My old school class did a collection at our reunion
  6. Gen has gone sober for 100 days
  7. Sam is doing #15B415 where he is doing 15 challenges to raise awareness and money.
  8. Lorna is holding dinner parties and asking for donations
  9. Fintan has recorded a Christmas Carol
  10. PharmaLex held a Christmas Jumper day and #50KB450 was a beneficiary
  11. Claire, Gen, Claire & Teresa held a ‘no frills’ disco on the 1st February
  12. Deb and Brigitte held a 3 hour Body Combat Marathon on the 29th February!
  13. People donated instead of sending Christmas cards in 2019 and 2020
  14. Holly has completed ‘Run the Year 2020’ running 2020 miles this year!! And has asked for donations instead of 18th birthday presents!
  15. Chris sold homemade mince pies in Delhi in 2019 and 2020
  16. Tracy & Lynda cycled 50 miles p/w for Myeloma Awareness Month in March 2020 – 400 miles!
  17. Mark is doing a quiz night at Canary Wharf
  18. Julie sold face masks in light of covid-19
  19. Deb set up a strava challenge to get people to help her reach 50,000km (Club=50KB450)
  20. Pete shaved off his hair
  21. I shaved off my hair!
  22. Businesses are each donating £50 – we’ve had 13 so far and are looking to reach 50.
  23. I am cycling the London to Paris bike ride – 300 miles in 4 days – UK equivalent completed as the ride has been postponed till 2022.
  24. Tracy knitted 50 scarves and hats for the homeless and asked for donations
  25. My niece is cycling from London to Paris with me!!
  26. New Dram Drinker YouTube channel and whisky club have chosen to support the challenge with auctions etc
  27. Rachel held a Tropic Skincare WhatsApp event
  28. Carol made and sold face masks
  29. Mark is doing the Virtual London to Paris bike ride.

I’ll keep updating this page with what everyone is up to….love how varied it all is already! If you aren’t already, please follow my #50KB450 Facebook page too! I’m also on twitter as @debgascoyne