I’m helping to beat blood cancer by taking part in the Leukaemia Foundation’s World’s Greatest Shave!
SATURDAY 18TH MARCH – TOGETHER WE HAVE DONE SOMETHING WONDERFUL
It’s done and I am getting used to my new No. 2. A little weirded out each time I catch a glimpse but I like it.
First thank you to the generous young man @Noa Cthurmer for stepping up and supporting me from Sydney. The No. 2 was his idea. Thank you Noa.
To Mum, all of my family far and wide (related and acquired), friends old & new, Italian, young, old, the BHS crew who I can’t survive without, Carole for so gently cutting it off, friends of my daughters and friends of friends, beautiful colleagues and TESS community THANK YOU for supporting the Leukaemia Foundation, blood cancer patients and my journey. I will be ok and I will live with Myeloma for a very very long time but our combined support will make that road easier for so many: new research, treatments, support for patients and yes even a cure. F*** Cancer.
Lots of love to you all. Over and out.
Hello. My name is Julia and in April my hair will start falling out in ugly chunks. You would think that is a very small sacrifice to live with to save your own life, and of course it really is, but I didn’t hear a word my doctor said after he told me this would happen. Can I just say … F*** Cancer and F*** Blood Cancer. With no screening programs available and no means of prevention through lifestyle changes, blood cancer is Australia's hidden cancer crisis.
Every day, 53 Aussies are diagnosed with blood cancer, and 16 will lose their life.
Almost out of the blue, in September 2021, I was diagnosed with something called Smouldering Myeloma. Two words I wish I had never heard. Myeloma is a blood cancer in the bone marrow, and the smouldering part means the cancer cells hadn’t reached critical levels that required treatment, yet. Fast forward to October 2022, and the ‘smouldering’ ignited. I had Myeloma, and treatment began within the month.
In April 2023 I will stay in Leukaemia Foundation supported accommodation away from home for four weeks in order to access a stem cell transplant. I will lose my hair and hopefully, after treatment, enter remission. Remission is the goal every person with cancer hopes for, so bring it on. But, here’s the black hole in my resilience, Myeloma is treatable but, at the moment, not curable. Statistically it will return in 4–6 years. That is scary and I haven’t told my 90-year-old mother that part. So funding research is critical to help find a cure. This is why I am now eager to take some control, shave my head and help raise awareness and money to support the Leukaemia Foundation. Telling you my story is part of that.
Thanks to the World’s Greatest Shave I can do something positive. With your help we can drive awareness and support the introduction of early detection screening. Mostly, Myeloma isn’t diagnosed until bone pain, fractures and sick kidneys have set in. I will be forever grateful to my amazing G.P., who was aware, listened to me and was truly on the ball before I had symptoms. So I am looking for sponsors to donate as I shave my head and cut off all my hair. Your encouragement will empower me to face my fear. Together let’s also empower the amazing scientists so they can keep innovating and hopefully continue to find ground-breaking treatments. And to absolutely once and for all change the ‘TREATABLE’ into the CURABLE.
Big or small, every donation counts. Will you help by sponsoring me?
UPDATE FRIDAY 3RD MARCH:
Last weekend when I first thought of participating in the World's Greatest Shave, because you know I'm going to lose it anyway, I really thought a $5000 target would be incredible. Well, we smashed that in 24 hours. Then we steamrolled $10,000 and I'm beginning to believe we could hit. my new target of $20,000. Together, big and small, we really have made a difference to support those with blood cancers through the Leukaemia Foundation's World's Greatest Shave.
Thank you all from the bottom of my heart (and curly locks)!!