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CHCH CHallenges Brain Tumour Awareness Month Fundraiser

  • Last update: $470! You can still share & donate

      31 May 2023
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    In Brain Tumour Awareness Month, as we consider our grey matter, it’s suggested that we “Go Grey in May”. Today I dressed all in grey - bar my BTSNZ T-shirt and hat. I went to work, I made a cup of tea, I drove my car, I picked up a friend from the airport and I went shopping (just the essentials). I saw some raised eyebrows, but I definitely raised awareness! All the things I did today would have been impossible for me to do during certain stages of my brain tumour journey - and remain impossible for many in the brain tumour community. So I’d like to thank you for being part of Brain Tumour Awareness Month with me (and Donald), ask that you share my story and help raise awareness, donate/givealittle for the next week and PLEASE take a moment to appreciate what your grey matter does for you! Over Brain Tumour Awareness Month WE HAVE RAISED $470 for Brain Tumour Support NZ. That’s almost 5 of their wonderful Brain Boxes. BTSNZ have sent out 500 Brain Boxes altogether. I’m thrilled to be able to help them do their amazing work. Meanwhile, I have been hard at work, juggling life and fumbling fundraising challenges. I’m chuffed to share that I challenged myself to a surgery-free month. I made it! Woo hoo!!!

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  • Week 4: Tinnitus saved my life and $400 raised

      28 May 2023
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    Gosh, it’s been another tough week but these updates are a brilliant example of how feeling good and overdoing it and crashing (boom and bust) works in any recovery process. Earlier in the month I was nailing it. Everything. And I know that I still am, but this is why I didn’t try to do a classic kiwi exercise challenge for this fundraiser. This week I had some of my breaks in the work Quiet Room (nobly guarded by a purple octopus). Ballet was super fun as it was “Dance in Pink” week, part of a Pink Ribbon Month breast cancer fundraiser. Lovely to be part of a fundraiser but not the focus or the organiser! My neighbour challenged me a while ago to boop a cat and I got one on my Wednesday morning walk! After my new short Wednesday work day, I got the latest covid jab and that brought on a vile headache so had to call in sick on Thursday. I was disappointed, but working three consecutive days is still great to do. On Thursday afternoon I made it to an appointment with Duncan at Dilworth Hearing to learn more about my tinnitus and some strategies to manage/reduce it. We figured out that my tinnitus has saved my life, because my brain was telling me something was wrong - in my case very wrong. Now I can work through the tinnitus treatment options. This will also include treating my brain tumour-induced hearing loss with a hearing aid. All this was really overwhelming and sad and it took me a while to process. I felt old. I felt sorry for myself - because the brain tumour journey continues - but I don’t want my brain wasting energy and I don’t want my hearing to atrophy long term. The sun still rose on Friday, my morning walks resumed and I found I was able to talk about the tinnitus stuff with colleagues (without crying!). This weekend has been very quiet and family-oriented as I process and recover from a physically and emotionally challenging week. This also meant I got to boop my fur sister, Molly! Steps, runs, splits, etc, just aren’t a priority right now but I’m thrilled to see WE HAVE DOUBLED MY FUNDRAISING GOAL!!! We’re at $400. I’m so grateful to you all for giving and for sharing. Stay tuned for an update from Donald the Brain Tumour and more as we wrap up Brain Tumour Awareness Month!

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  • Week 3: Reality Bites!

      21 May 2023
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    This is my first time doing a Brain Tumour Awareness Month fundraiser. This time last year I was between breast cancer chemo and radiation. Since then I’ve been slowly rebuilding my energy and work hours - again. This week I added 3 extra hours, which is huge for me! I even wore a fun top. But it has meant hours of headaches, no going out, less steps, no yoga and no run. However, my Christmas cactus flowered, I did 7 walks (one was very frosty!), did more steps than week 1, went to ballet, saw my therapist, worked 27 hours, made my bed everyday, am living floordrobe-free, had Mum over for pizza and I organised birthday drinks. I haven’t really celebrated my birthday since Donald, so this is exciting! Today marks 5 years since I got the keys to my own home. It’s nice to mark a non-medical anniversary - but I wish I’d felt a bit better. And I will feel better with time, quiet breaks and other recovery tools, healthy self talk and knowing that WE HAVE REACHED OUR GOAL!!! We hit $200 during the week and are now sitting pretty at $250! Can we hit $300? Please give a little and share a lot. Challenge suggestions welcome and, yes, I will be going Grey in May!

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  • Get Into The Groove

      14 May 2023
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    This week has been amazing. I had some extra days off, so I’ve been extra social with family and friends (yay). I did two runs, so I’m up to 2km now! Also got a splits/yoga routine happening - but still no splits. I fitted in a swim, hot pool, plunge pool and quickly back to hot pool circuit. I also finally made it to ballet and did 70,000 steps this week… and I’ve done two CancerFit+ workouts. All super rewarding. I had so much fun doing my upside down face Donald video (thanks Kirsty and Paul for the challenge and thanks Vikki for production assistance!). Remember to donate and suggest a challenge, or share my story - it’s about awareness! We’ve raised $90 for Brain Tumour Support NZ- just $10 more will cover a Brain Box!

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  • First week: Starting slow but feeling fabulous!

      7 May 2023
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    This week I have gotten up on time every day, tackled the motorway, started a new morning walk routine but failed to do the splits, worked my 24 hours at our new storage facility, made it to Friday drinks, did my first 1km “run” since diagnosis - thanks Anna - did over 50,000 steps in a week and finally set up my fundraiser. I have raised $50 for Brain Tumour Support NZ (half a Brain Box)! Suggest a challenge when you donate! Share my story and look after yourself!

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