Updates
Our progress towards raising our 1m target
Today's been very moving taking everything in around Remembrance Sunday even more than usual. My newsfeed was filled with stories of bravery, lives lost and pictures of so many friend's war connected family members. So much to comprehend and yet so much to be grateful for. One thing I definitely took away from all the coverage today was the strength of hope and how, no matter what, together we can overcome adversity. #lestweforget #100years #forevergrateful
When it struck 11 we were at Old Reigations Rugby Club for Alex's weekend training. All the coaches, parents and each of the children's age groups gathered at the foot of the club house with the last post performed up on the balcony by one of the parents. A sombre moment but one we're very grateful that they organised, although after that I took the chance to leave with the boys and hide my morning's leaky eyes.
Having been caught in a downpour we were all cold and wet and boy oh boy was Alex muddy. We headed home after grabbing a Sunday roast followed by an afternoon of food, lazing around and lots of cuddles. Later tonight, as part of mission "George's scan results distraction", Woody and I headed up to the London SSE Arena to see a live performance by Michael McIntyre. A brilliant night and just what the doctor ordered, now to go to bed and keep everything crossed for a disease free result at The Royal Marsden - Sutton tomorrow.
Between us we've got this.
#thebigpush
#aimhighstaypositive
#giantpledge
Donate to help beat childhood cancer or join the team with your own fundraising event in 2018 at giantpledge.com/team
Buy one of our 'Tackle Childhood Cancer' tees or pick up your superhero cape in honour of the doctors, nurses and super brave cancer kids at giantpledge.com/shop
Sing along & share our charity 'Do a Big Poo' song, youtu.be/U3iOmhIIc_s or buy it here, giantpledge.com/buy
Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/georgeandthegiantpledge
On Twitter: twitter.com/giantpledge
And on Instagram: instagram.com/giantpledge
Or for help with any event you may be thinking of email Lydia.Clark2@rmh.nhs.uk and cc us at GeorgeandtheGiantPledge@gmail.com
From muddy hands and soggy socks at football to pass the parcel and disco dancing later on at a friend's birthday tea this afternoon. You can safely say we made the most of our Saturday without today's changeable weather putting a dampener on things! I'm even heading out with my NCT friends tonight so queue an early post and a drowned rat out in town this evening!
My sleep's gone out of the window and I'm absolutely shattered but I can't face another evening of just tossing and turning. Going out with good friends is not only a change of scene but also a good distraction to George's pending results from last weeks MRI scan...that and I know they wont be offended if I spend half of tonight's meal yawning!
Talking of going out it's not long now until the Reigate Charity Ball 2018 is upon us. An infamous local event that sells out each year in under 60 seconds...! Even if you can't be there they've told us we can share their truly remarkable auction lots with you to also get involved in!
Check out www.myminiauction.com/reigatecharityball for everything they have on offer. There really are some truly amazing auction prizes and we, along with the two other benefitting charities as well as the fab organisers, are very grateful to everyone who donated items ❤️ Bidding is now live so check out the site for anything you might fancy along with the details of what date and time you can bid up to.
Between us we've got this.
#thebigpush
#aimhighstaypositive
#giantpledge
Donate to help beat childhood cancer or join the team with your own fundraising event in 2018 at giantpledge.com/team
Buy one of our 'Tackle Childhood Cancer' tees or pick up your superhero cape in honour of the doctors, nurses and super brave cancer kids at giantpledge.com/shop
Sing along & share our charity 'Do a Big Poo' song, youtu.be/U3iOmhIIc_s or buy it here, giantpledge.com/buy
Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/georgeandthegiantpledge
On Twitter: twitter.com/giantpledge
And on Instagram: instagram.com/giantpledge
Or for help with any event you may be thinking of email Lydia.Clark2@rmh.nhs.uk and cc us at GeorgeandtheGiantPledge@gmail.com
Happy Friday! Just three more sleeps before we find out if George has relapsed or not. Today, for the first time in the last few days, I had an overwhelming feeling that things are going to be OK. Then again you can be as positive as you like but your brain still seems to run through every possible outcome regardless. Just today both me and another oncology parent, whose child finished treatment around the same time as George did, agreed that this scan seems to be more challenging than the others and yet neither of us are entirely sure why that is?!
As we've said before with Ewing's Sarcoma there's often little to no signs or symptoms. If and when a lump shows, as it did originally for George, we'd already be in unbelievable trouble. Telling yourself things will be OK really is a constant battle. Then again seeing his little face coming out of school today holding a poppy he'd made was a great reminder of how every day is precious in more ways than one #lestweforget
In typical Giant Pledge fashion when the going gets tough we bury ourselves in fundraising. Today you may have seen we added two more events to our Facebook page! Tickets are now available for two Christmas Wreath making events on Tuesday the 4th of December - One in the morning, 10am till 12 (www.facebook.com/events/346340189247965/) and one in the evening from 7.30 onwards (www.facebook.com/events/358347118044061/). Our only advice is get in quick as last time I looked on the evening one there was only 14 places left! Both are being held at the Hartsfield Manor in Betchworth with the brilliant 'The Girl Who Gardens' and greenery supplies thanks to Holborn's Flowers!!
It's £30 per person with all the foliage and instruction included, that and a mince pie or two with tea, coffee or glass of fizz provided ....which ever suits you! Why not get inspired at www.pinterest.co.uk/AKAthegirlwhogardens/ or pop in to Holborn's Flowers new flower shop on the Brighton road?! Every penny of profit goes to the Giant Pledge in support of The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity to Help Beat Childhood Cancer!
Between us we've got this.
#thebigpush
#aimhighstaypositive
#giantpledge
Donate to help beat childhood cancer or join the team with your own fundraising event in 2018 at giantpledge.com/team
Buy one of our 'Tackle Childhood Cancer' tees or pick up your superhero cape in honour of the doctors, nurses and super brave cancer kids at giantpledge.com/shop
Sing along & share our charity 'Do a Big Poo' song, youtu.be/U3iOmhIIc_s or buy it here, giantpledge.com/buy
Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/georgeandthegiantpledge
On Twitter: twitter.com/giantpledge
And on Instagram: instagram.com/giantpledge
Or for help with any event you may be thinking of email Lydia.Clark2@rmh.nhs.uk and cc us at GeorgeandtheGiantPledge@gmail.com
Tonight we had Alex's parent's evening. After everything he saw his brother go through last year it's lovely to hear Alex has made vast improvements particularly when it comes to his focus. A lot of what he does and how he thinks now are all perfectly normal nine-year-old behaviours, but without a doubt George's Cancer diagnosis and treatment through out 2017 took its toll on Alex so it's great to hear he's making such good progress 😍
Although saying that it doesn't take much to make it all come flooding back. Just this week, coincidentally timed with George's MRI scan, Alex has been intermittently feeling sick. He seems perfectly well in himself so, collectively with school putting two and two together, we think it could well be his anxiety playing out without him being able to pin point or articulate it 😢
Meanwhile in other news this afternoon George and I were tackling some serious business thanks to the library book he chose earlier at school... 'The Dinosaur That Pooped Christmas'! All very timely as not long from now, on the 17th of November, we'll be in the Belfry Shopping Centre, Redhill when they turn the Christmas lights on! George and the Giant Pledge, along with the Born Free Foundation and Stripey Stork, are the three chosen charities supported by this event so why not come and join us! We'll be there selling our various Giant Pledge wares as well as working on this years Hospital Pyjama Collection!
In 2017 we delivered 75 pairs of infant to 15 year-old children's PJ's to the Marsden working with this wonderful team who collected over 4,000 in total for children in hospital over Christmas. To help make these super poorly kid's day why not pick them up a new pair of PJ's??! The key being all donations we take on the 17th have to be brand new to reduce the risk of infection for immunocompromised children... being that we'll be in the shopping centre what more could be easier?!! Finally talking of events you may have seen that today we also added the Rock'n'Pledge, click here for more details www.facebook.com/events/2345911008783910/ Oh and check out the Surrey Mirror this week for an article on our big Pride of Britain night 😁
Between us we've got this.
#thebigpush
#aimhighstaypositive
#giantpledge
Donate to help beat childhood cancer or join the team with your own fundraising event in 2018 at giantpledge.com/team
Buy one of our 'Tackle Childhood Cancer' tees or pick up your superhero cape in honour of the doctors, nurses and super brave cancer kids at giantpledge.com/shop
Sing along & share our charity 'Do a Big Poo' song, youtu.be/U3iOmhIIc_s or buy it here, giantpledge.com/buy
Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/georgeandthegiantpledge
On Twitter: twitter.com/giantpledge
And on Instagram: instagram.com/giantpledge
Or for help with any event you may be thinking of email Lydia.Clark2@rmh.nhs.uk and cc us at GeorgeandtheGiantPledge@gmail.com
Sometimes life's simple pleasures are the best. That includes jumping in puddles and soaking your school uniform in spite of your parent's protests. Today we had one sopping wet giddy idiot bounding around the school playground getting everything he possibly could wet! In all fairness we weren't exactly trying to stop him as the smile on his little face was just priceless 😍
Apparently he was a bit lethargic at school today - all totally understandable after his general anaesthetic for his MRI scan to see if he's relapsed yesterday. He certainly made up for it when we collected him at 3.30 whilst we waited for his brother to finish school 30 minutes later.
I started the day with my usual Wednesday Pilates with Chloe. On the way home I dropped into the brand spanking new 'Holborn's Flowers' shop that opened its doors for the first time on the Brighton Road in Redhill yesterday. They're helping us source all the bits needed for our Christmas Wreath Making event 😁 We can also confirm we have The Girl Who Gardens, AKA the brilliant Renee joining us to ensure the likes of me don't go home with a green blob / mess to hang on our door leading up to Christmas!!!
Due to so many people showing interest we've already added a second event before we've even started selling tickets for the first event! We're now also holding a Giant Pledge Wreath Making Event on Friday the 7th of December during school hours at the Reigate and Banstead Town Hall in the heart of Reigate. Watch this space for more details and where you can buy tickets! Here's to keeping ourselves busy to help keep on top of our scanxiety before we get George's results on Monday.
Between us we've got this.
#thebigpush
#aimhighstaypositive
#giantpledge
Donate to help beat childhood cancer or join the team with your own fundraising event in 2018 at giantpledge.com/team
Buy one of our 'Tackle Childhood Cancer' tees or pick up your superhero cape in honour of the doctors, nurses and super brave cancer kids at giantpledge.com/shop
Sing along & share our charity 'Do a Big Poo' song, youtu.be/U3iOmhIIc_s or buy it here, giantpledge.com/buy
Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/georgeandthegiantpledge
On Twitter: twitter.com/giantpledge
And on Instagram: instagram.com/giantpledge
Or for help with any event you may be thinking of email Lydia.Clark2@rmh.nhs.uk and cc us at GeorgeandtheGiantPledge@gmail.com