I’ve been enjoying my 40 before 40 challenge a lot and it’s all been very personal but a few people have asked whether I’ve got a fundraising page…which I have but haven’t shared it on the blog properly yet…

Why? Well I’ve had a nagging feeling that because my whole challenge is really personal for me and my self development, what’s the point of fundraising – why would people want to donate? Yes, I’m pushing myself out of my comfort zone; I’m working with stretching goals which is how I work best and most importantly for someone with a memory as bad as mine; I’m keeping a record of how I’m getting on… but what am I doing that really represents a reason for friends, family and the lovely readers of this blog to donate something to charity?

Without turning this post or blog into something too sad, we lost one of our twin daughters at birth in 2012. It was too hard at that time to really think about her legacy and how we could celebrate her. Getting through her funeral was the hardest thing I’ve had to face so far in my life and so, whilst people asked whether we wanted donations, etc, in our daughter’s memory, I wasn’t in the right headspace at that point in time. Fast forward to almost 8 years later and here’s me, in the midst of my 40 before 40 challenge and I’m starting to feel like there could be a way to remember Vivienne whilst challenging myself.

The support we got from the hospital and our family & friends to get us through that difficult period in our lives is impossible to describe or share, especially as much of it probably went unnoticed by us as we tried to navigate life with a new baby, whilst grieving for our other baby who we never got to hear cry or see open her eyes. We never looked for support outside of our immediate network but knowing that it was there, being given leaflets and helpline numbers should we ever need further support was enough to realise that we weren’t alone and that we could ask for help if we needed it. Therefore, my fundraising page (set up in memory of our daughter, Vivienne Elizabeth) is for Sands who provide support services to parents like us and also work with other agencies to reduce the number of baby deaths.

So that’s the sad bit done and shared; it’s only taken me nearly a year to dare to write it down and share it (!) and please don’t feel any pressure to donate as I know everyone has causes close to their hearts and money doesn’t grow on trees – it’s just something that I wanted to set up and I will continue to provide a monthly gift to the charity myself.

Whilst I don’t have any relevant challenges for a fundraiser coming up, some of the challenges I’ve already done lend themselves to fundraiaing (the 10K and the triathlon spring to mind!) so if you do want to donate to charity in aid of my increasingly desperate attempts to complete 40 before 40 then the link is below.

Thanks to everyone reading for your continued support 🙂

And the next post will be happier stuff, I promise!

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/kelly-heathcote40