I'm A Dryathlete - Please Support Me!

Two weekends down... three more to go! Or 11 days down, 20 to go...

This my second year of participating in Cancer Research's Dryathlon. I couldn't do it last year as I knew I had a friend's 40th birthday to attend, but I had participated the year before (2014).

I don't do this for health purposes because I live life moderately anyway, and believe in everything in moderation. I usually only drink at weekends, and sometimes that's just a glass of wine in front of the telly or while reading. (Sometimes a night might heavier if out with company).

The reason I do this is to give back to Cancer Research. 

Sister, and Best Auntie Ever! 

My sister was diagnosed with Leukaemia in 2010 and I've never felt so useless while she endured so much pain, heartache, fear and hair loss. She is fit and healthy now, and that really is thanks to Cancer Research, as well as her own strength and determination! Therefore, my way of feeling that I can help my little sister is by giving blood regularly and raising money when I can - and let's face it this one isn't too hard to do. I just feel I want to give back any way I can to show appreciation to all the doctors, nurses, etc who have helped my sister beat cancer.

The minimum you can donate is £2 and that's all I am asking as I know it's a tough time being just after Christmas. But if even half my friends on FB and Twitter gave just £2 - I would smash my £100 target!

Cancer Research really is a good cause. They are doing marvellous work.

The link to my page is below. As I can't seem to update it, I'm going to update this blog over the month with my stories.

Weekends will be my hardest as that's when I like to have a glass of wine. This Friday night just gone, after a long day at work, and stress with my rattling car, I made myself a hot chocolate with squirty cream instead of reaching for the wine bottle. And on the Saturday, I went out with friends to a lovely Italian restaurant... and had no wine! I made sure I was driving, too, which means I really can't drink even if slightly tempted.

My JustGiving Fundraising Page! 

Finally It's February...

...and I can drink wine!

All writers need wine... well, most of us do.

If you read this blog post, you will know I was a Dryathlete to raise money for Cancer Research.

I endured 31 days off the sauce! But to be honest, if a cancer patient has to go through Chemo, then I was sure I could go without a glass of wine for a month.

It's just a good job I didn't have to give up chocolate too, otherwise I really would have found this task hard.


Anyway, I want to say a very big thank you to everyone who donated. To you lovely, generous lot, I give you Henry Cavill :)

(That's just a cheeky way of getting an excuse to post a picture of Henry... obviously). 

And to those who still wish to show your support, there is still time to donate for this very good cause. Just go to my JustGiving Page Here.

No Wine For The Whole Of January...

... at least I can still have chocolate. I'd no way be able to give up both!

Leading up to Christmas, and afterwards, I kept hearing the Dryathlon adverts on my favourite radio station. And after the hugest hangover ever on New Year's Day and vowing never to drink again (yeah, right, I love wine too much), I'd decided I would stay off the alcohol in January at least. Let the old Liver recover and all that.

I wasn't going to sign up because then I'd stress about the lack of donations etc. I thought I would just do it on my own for health reasons and see if I have the willpower.

I only 'drink' at weekends. In other words, I allow myself an alcoholic beverage Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. This is when I'm likely to go out too. Sometimes I will drink mid-week if I meet up with a friend, but that's a rare occasion. But at the weekend, even if I'm home, I like a glass of wine whilst vegging in front of the telly.

Well, last night, coming home from work, I was in the mood for that glass of wine. Automatically I'm thinking it's Friday - I'm allowed!

Luckily, I saw that a friend's husband was a Dryathlete, and so I signed myself up pretty sharpish (and donated on his site - as I thought it would look weird donating on my own)!


Anyway, if you'd like to sponsor me, here is my JustGiving page.

Cancer Research is such a good cause. Would my sister have survived Leukaemia without the research? Who knows... but my gratefulness for this charity is unmeasurable.

Over Christmas I also learned of a close friend who's baby boy has a cancerous tumour, so this charity is just so important. Not only the old get sick with Cancer... so do the young.

Please, please, please sponsor me. Or sponsor a closer friend if you know they are also participating. Everyone gets touched with cancer once in their life. I believe some can avoid cancer with lifestyle changes, but people like my sister, and my friend's little boy are sadly the unfortunate unlucky ones.

I get fed up of the 'Cancer' related Facebook posts about 'I bet know one reposts this' etc. etc. I never share them, because it's too close to my family, and they're just bloody SPAM in my opinion.

Instead of sharing one of those stupid posts which WILL NOT help fight cancer, give a couple of pounds to Cancer Research! Do it!

And while on the subject, if you're interested, in 2011 I read Food To Fight Cancer... this is my review. It's a fascinating book and endorses my belief that some cancers can be avoided.