Daring Derry woman to raise £10,000 for cancer charity
A Derry woman will be conquering her fears in a series of challenges to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support in memory of her father.
Michelle Allen from Kilfennan (pictured top right), whose father died less than six moths ago, begins her crusade to raise 10,000 for the cancer charity next week with a series of coffee mornings in the clearance store of Bon Marche.
However, things will step up a notch when she will be doing two fire walks, an abseil and taking on the unenviable task of climbing Ben Nevis.
Bowel cancer
Michelle's father Andy was diagnosed with bowel cancer in November 2006, although the family learned quite quickly that the cancer had already spread.
"At that time he was given six months to live but he actually lived for another two years. We got a lot of quality time with him. I took him to our favourite place in France a couple of times. He made it to my 30th and 31st birthdays and we didn't expect him to do that."
"We obviously knew what was going to happen, but nothing prepares you for it. I am now starting to think about life without him here and these challenges and the fundraising is a way of coping and throwing myself into something."
"I am starting training for all the events and I will be conquering a lot of my fears. The abseil absolutely scares me to death."
The 31-year-old is also planning to create a calendar as the culmination of her fundraising efforts, and would like people to contribute with either local recipes or household tips.
Michelle has had a long involvement with Macmillan Cancer Support through her employment with Bon Marche, a company which has raised over 2 million for the charity over the past ten years.
"As a family we had a lot of support from the Sperrin Room in Altnagelvin, the Foyle Hospice and the nurses from the Waterside Health Centre. Macmillan have given me a lot of support, particularly with the practical things and I now want to do something for them.
"I also want to do it for my dad and I know he will be proud of me."
For more information visit www.macmillan.org.uk or to donate, leave a message of support, suggest an event for Michelle to take part in or to get involved yourself email www.justgiving.com/michelleallen77. You can also call into your local Bon Marche store to make a donation. The coffee mornings begin on Wednesday, March 18.
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Weather for Derry
Wednesday 19 June 2013
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