Today (Saturday) Bedford Borough mum Julie Ellison is carrying out a seven-hour gruelling” gym session to raise money for Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust following its care and support of her son who was diagnosed with stage three head and neck malignant melanoma.
Julie will be completing an incredible six strength sessions in a row with the support of coaches at Steele Fitness Group in Wootton near Bedford, with other members of the gym also showing up to train with her throughout her strength training.
“My son is 38 and has learning disabilities and is on the autistic spectrum, so the whole process has been unbelievably hard and at times unbearably challenging,” said Julie through the JustGiving page set up to collect sponsorships.
“My son has never smoked, doesn’t drink, and doesn’t like the sun so never sunbathes. We as a family have had our whole world emotionally shattered beyond measure.
“No parent should ever have to go through this.”
Julie’s son was diagnosed with the devastating news just before Christmas last year.
In early February he underwent a five-hour neck dissection operation and was then to start 12 months of targeted Chemotherapy. MRI and CT scans in preparation for this therapy in late March then revealed another malignant melanoma.
“The care we and especially my son have received from Addenbrooke’s Hospital has been excellent. From the surgeons, skin cancer nurse specialists, healthcare workers, porters and absolutely everyone else involved,” added Julie.
Addenbrooke’s already provides world-leading, ground-breaking diagnosis, treatment and research into cancer but their need for financial support is enormous.
Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust are currently trying to raise £45,000 to help continue this level of care in their Cancer Services.
Julie has originally aimed to raise a target of £1,000, saying this would be “my way of saying thank you”. She has smashed through that target and has raised almost £14,500 at the time of writing.
“Remember, one in two of us will be affected by cancer in our lifetime,” said Julie.
If you’d like to help raise even more money for Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust by sponsoring Julie, you can donate at JustGiving.com.
