12. Business, As Usual
Just to note - DashDonate stuff (links, info, etc.) is in my Hopeful Legacy.
It’s been a while since I’ve written here, over 6 weeks! There hasn’t been much going on in terms of treatment, hence my lack of writing. A reader told me the other day that this doesn’t mean I shouldn’t write, and that I should write an article about how normal life is still achievable while fighting cancer. So, here I am, writing an article about normal-ish life!
Hair Growth
It’s a common misconception that if you’re receiving chemotherapy treatment, your hair will fall out. For some chemotherapy, like mine (temozolomide), it’s not a common side effect. However, the radiation from radiotherapy on my head caused hair loss. When I say hair loss, my hair didn’t all come out. I kept the hair on the top of my head, and I kept the hair on the back from below the tops of my ears – I looked like an Oreo.
At the time of writing, my hair has nearly fully come back in – it has regrown fully where the radiation was weakest, and it’s probably a week or so till the rest comes in. So, it’s taken nearly 3 months to regrow.
Important Legal Stuff
After speaking with my social worker from CLIC Sargent, I set up a call with a solicitor to talk about all the important legal stuff around my situation. Now, first off is a will – A declaration of asset transfer (what happens to your stuff) and any other guidelines you want people to follow (funeral wishes, cremation or burial, etc).
As well as a will, there is a legal document called a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) that you should file. This document should be filed to allow others to make medical decisions and/or legal decisions on your behalf if you’re unable due to condition or treatment. Say you’ve been in a car accident and you’re unconscious for a few days – who will make decisions about your care while you’re asleep? An LPA is a very customisable document, so make sure that it’s explained fully by a solicitor.
Speaking to a solicitor about these matters can emotional or upsetting, however, having a will and/or LPA declared is a smart move for anyone over the age of 18. It makes life easier for those around you should anything happen to you.
21st Birthday
I celebrated my 21st shortly after my previous article. I didn’t drink, didn’t go out, and instead decided for a quiet family-oriented lunch. Mum made a cake with all of my favourite sweets on it, and my little sister organised a number of party games for everyone to play.
Not your traditional 21st birthday, however, it was just what I wanted.
Rugby
I was invited to a rugby match in Coventry by a close friend, and although I’d not really followed rugby before, I decided to go along to see what it was all about. It was great! A lot of action, and I quickly picked up upon what the rules were. I’d definitely go again!
Ricoh Arena, Coventry
After lunch out and a good catch-up, it was time to head back home.
Chemo
Still the same routine of chemo for 5 days each month. I’ve not been getting any side effects, they’re pretty much like tictacs to me… I did meet a guy at a CLIC Sargent event, who had just started using the same chemo as I do, and he’s achy, fatigued, feeling sick etc. It’s important to remember that everyone reacts differently, and just because I’m fine with max dose, others can be feeling rotten on much lower doses.
If you’re reading this and want to know more about chemo and/or radiotherapy, please don’t hesitate to drop me a line (Check this page’s footer)!
DashDonate
Since November I’ve been researching and investigating the issues that small charities have when fundraising and raising awareness. These charities are started to do good, not to make money, and so a large percentage struggle to get by as they don’t focus on fundraising. This lack of fundraising sometimes results in charities closing, which is heartbreaking to see.
Traditional methods of fundraising and raising awareness are expensive – those leaflets, wristbands, and collection buckets cost a lot! And don’t get me started on Facebook ads! Simply put, it’s too expensive for small charities to do this.
Now, where does my idea come in? DashDonate is an online platform created to help these small charities process donations (without large fees!), automate admin work, and learn the skills needed to use Instagram and Facebook to grow awareness – ultimately leading to lower costs and growth in donation numbers.
For donors, we’re focussing in three key areas:
1. Transparency
Our research shows that donors who are unsure about how their donation will be used are more likely to donate less. We work with charities to ensure every penny is accounted for.
2. Control
Taking control of which causes you donate to, and when you give, should be simple. If you want to donate to WaterAid in the summer months, The Salvation Army in the winter, and Cancer Research UK for all other months of the year, you can do it all from one place, on DashDonate.
3. Meaning
Whether it be a donation to celebrate your birthday, or commemorate a family member, having a connection to the charity you’re donating to makes it more special. Our charities will keep you updated about how they use your donation to do good.
If you want to find out more, feel free to head over to https://dashdonate.org – make sure you sign up to receive updates!
Visit DashDonate.org
Spreading My Story
As one of my resolutions for 2020, I wanted to do more for spreading awareness of my story. The first step in this plan was my local newspaper, the Hexham Courant. After having a chat, these guys wrote an article briefly describing my situation and my determination to do good though DashDonate. Some of you that are reading this article may have found this site via that article, that’s great!
I’ll be finding the time (at some point) to speak to more media sources, however, for now, all I can ask is that you share this article with your network.
Charity Work
I’ve tried to say “Yes” more to charities who have events going on, and I have a few exciting things set up for this year thanks to that. So far I’ve attended another YPRG (Young People’s Reference Group) with CLIC Sargent, and have been working with the other charities to raise awareness where possible.
Our YPRG Group – Lots of new people this time
Other Business Stuff
I still run my own commercial software business – it’s the one I was doing 16+ hour days when I first noticed my symptoms. Things are still ticking by, although I’m less interested in it now due to DashDonate and all the charity stuff I’ve got going on. I’m also spending a lot of time with my loved ones, making sure that I don’t drag myself back in the routine of work being 24/7.
I’ve been very lucky to have the ability to work from home and set my hours to ‘whenever’, and I appreciate most won’t have that luxury.
Summary
As you can see, I’ve done a lot over these last ~7 weeks. Take things easy, but don’t let things bring you down! If you need to talk, feel free to get in touch (Check this page’s footer).
