'We'll take up Josie's challenge'
Jan 3 2007 By Liz Hands Health Correspondent, The Journal
A husband, wife and daughter team, inspired by Josie Grove, have joined other readers in doing a sponsored slim to raise money for The Journal's fundraising drive.
Jim and Barbara Lanyon, of Hillhead Parkway, Chapel House, Newcastle, will be shedding pounds for the Josie Grove Leukaemia Appeal.
They will be joined in their fundraising efforts by their daughter Dr Clare Harris, 29, a geneticist at Newcastle University.
Josie, 16, of Princes Street, Corbridge, Northumberland, has taken the decision not to have any more treatment for leukaemia so she can spend the time she has left at home, with her family.
Josie, who went to Queen Elizabeth High School, Hexham, has had two unsuccessful bone marrow transplants and aggressive chemotherapy.
Barbara, 53, said: "Josie is such an inspiration. It makes you think about what you would do in the same situation.
"I'm not sure I'd be brave enough to take the decision she has, but you don't know until you are faced with such a situation.
"For someone so young to make such a courageous, mature decision just takes my breath away.
"It is so selfless for her to try to raise money to help others while she is going through what she is. We want to raise as much as we can for Josie's fund."
Barbara said she hoped to lose around a stone and Jim, 57, a sales manager who works with fire services and hospitals across the UK, and Clare each hope to lose three stones.
The couple, who have one other daughter Fiona, 33, and three grandchildren, hope Jim's colleagues across the country and friends at Westerhope Methodist Church will sponsor them.
"A friend of ours has a son with leukaemia, my mum lost her life to cancer and another friend has just undergone chemotherapy and radiotherapy for breast cancer," Barbara said.
"Cancer is all around us in whatever form it strikes. We just have to hope that there is a breakthrough cure in the future."
Barbara said: "I play golf, so I do exercise. I just like food too much. I like savoury stuff. I know what I should eat. I just eat all the wrong things. Jim's downfall is that he is a night time snacker.
"Raising money for Josie will give us the incentive we need to stick to a healthier lifestyle."
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Fund passes key landmark
The Journal's Josie Grove appeal has hit another landmark target.
Thanks go to readers who sent in donations yesterday, pushing us over the £2,000 milestone.
The Journal appeal total for the Josie Grove Leukaemia Fund now stands at £2,102.
Readers who donated or sent in sponsorship for our columnist David Banks, who is doing a sponsored slim for the fund are:
William Ogilvie, Choppington, Northumberland £20;
William Bolton £10;
Archibald Nichol, Newcastleton, Roxburghshire £200.
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This is how you can help raise money
The Journal is urging readers to get behind our bid to raise money for Josie's fund. There are two ways you can do your bit to help:
Anyone wishing to sponsor our columnist David Banks in his effort to shed the pounds in aid of the Josie Grove Leukaemia Fund should fill in the form here and return it to The Journal, saying how much money you are pledging.
OR:
Let us know what fitness-related fundraising method you have come up with yourself to raise cash for The Josie Grove Leukaemia Fund.
We are urging our readers to come up with fundraising ideas.
It could be a sponsored swim, a sponsored football match or even a sponsored bungee jump. Please contact The Journal newsdesk with information of any events - solo or team - you have arranged to help boost the fund.
Sponsorship forms are available by email or post from The Journal.
Anyone wishing to get involved should contact the newsdesk on (0191) 201-6344 or email
jnl.newdesk@ncjmedia.co.uk
You may send cheques payable to The Dove Trust (registered charity 287401) - Josie Grove Leukaemia Fund written on the back - to The Journal, PO Box 1146, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE99 1ET.
