A couple affected by cancer have a busy schedule ahead of them, with a tabletop sale this month, bingo in March, a black tie event and preparation for running the London Marathon in April.
Ahead of the charity indoor car boot sale at Monkshouse Primary School, Pennygate, Spalding, Georgie Jones (41) explained her motivation for being so active in her fundraising efforts is her husband, Paul (50), a two-time survivor of cancer.
“Paul was first diagnosed with testicular cancer in 2013 and had surgery to remove the growth,” Georgie said.
“Just as we were heading into the third year of remission Paul was diagnosed with stomach cancer in mid-2015. Paul attended Addenbrooke’s chemo ward for an intensive nine week course.”
Part of Georgie’s fundraising motivation was the care they received.
“We are so very lucky to have been treated so quickly and looked after so well,” she said. “Paul is now just over two years in remission. We got married a month after his chemotherapy finished in December 2015 and the difference between photos of Paul is huge.
“I never noticed at the time as he dealt with it all so well and I went in to nurse mode.
“It isn’t until we look back that we realise what we went through together. Paul was so incredibly strong and we maintained a positive attitude throughout. I think that is what helped us get through.”
The couple organised a coffee morning for Macmillan Cancer Support in 2016 and after a taste of success at the coffee morning, Georgie decided she “wanted to do something different” so applied for a place running the London Marathon.
“I’m not fit or particularly small so it was always going to be a challenge,” she said.
“I started my training and fundraising straight away. I hit my target of just over £3,000 in December for Macmillan and thought how great it is now just to concentrate on my running.”
Paul was disappointed to be missing out on the running but his fortune changed with a place opened up on the Addenbrooke’s team for its charity ACT.
“Paul applied and got a place due to someone else dropping out,” Georgie explained. “We are now fundraising again to reach Paul’s £2,500 target. We train together and are hoping to finish the marathon between five-and-a-half to six hours. It is the perfect combination of Addenbrooke’s and Macmillan, the two charities that helped us through some tough times.”
Forthcoming events in aid of Addenbrooke’s ACT charity include Easter bingo on March 16 at Cowbit Village Hall and a black tie event in Peterborough on March 31.
In training for the London Marathon, the couple will run a half-marathon in Grantham at the start of March.
All stalls are taken at the indoor car boot sale on February 24 at Monkshouse Primary School, so it should be packed with goodies. There will also be a tombola, a raffle and games.
The boot sale runs from 10am-2pm.
