If you feel like doing a good deed…

… and you’re into random acts of kindness because you’re generally a good person like that, which I know all my lovely blog readers are (that or you’ve all stopped reading my blog because of the incessant begging and pleading to sponsor me and I’m talking to myself here)…

… why not spare a few pennies, or even just a small space on your blog/facebook/twitter, to help us raise money for poorly children in England and Wales? Birmingham Children’s Hospital does an amazing job (I’m living proof of that) , and to show our appreciation, my fiance and I are running the Bupa Great Birmingham Run in October. Now then, for those of you who know me, you’ll know that running is never going to be my strong point, but I’m going to do it anyway – spurred on by the fact that my brother, whose last days were made comfortable by the hospital and its staff, would have been 15 on the date of the run, 21st October. It’s not going to be easy, I’m well aware of that, but it’d really help to spur us on if we know we have all your support, whether that’s by donating a little bit to my justgiving page – www.justgiving.com/madison-matthews – or even posting messages of encouragement and sharing the link to all your friends and followers.  We could really make a difference to the lives of families and sick children; but we can’t do it without your help!

Thanks for taking the time to read this, I’m sorry to keep bugging you but if you read the full story on my justgiving page, you’ll realize why it’s such an important cause to me and my family, and why I’m so desperate to raise the money for them.

A Tiring Week!

I am now the proud owner of a onesie! Yes, like footsie pyjamas without any feet. At first I was skeptical of the craze but I realize now exactly why they are so popular; they’re SO comfortable! Mine is a cow onesie with a hood that has little ears on it! It’s so warm and lovely that I think I could quite easily live in onesies from now on (but I won’t, because I’m not.. how do I put this… a chav!).

On Thursday, training properly started for the run. I couldn’t do very much because I wasn’t feeling great – I’d had an x ray in the morning which wasn’t an entirely pleasant experience – plus I didn’t warm up, but I did a four mile walk with a jog along the beach. I ended up with a nasty blister but it was a lovely walk and I felt really good when I got back, plus it made me a bit more comfortable about being able to do the run. I can start training to run and jog longer distances once I’ve strengthened up my knees and ankles a bit, so it’s all good. I’ve also started collecting sponsors (I’m doing it for Birmingham Children’s Hospital; the hospital that saved my life when I was a baby and who made my little brother’s last days comfortable), you can sponsor me at www.justgiving.com/Madison-Matthews , if you can give anything at all, please do – and even if you can’t, please share the link on your facebook/blog/twitter, I’d really appreciate it! You can tag me in it if you want – @lifeofamoomin (Twitter) – but please let as many people as possible know what I’m doing and why!

Also, don’t forget that Christopher Maine’s new book, Dragon Flight: Wrath is available on Amazon now for your Kindle or Kindle-enabled smartphone/tablet/iPad (all you need to do is download the free Kindle reading app). Search for it now on Amazon and please get yourself a copy, it’s great!

An Appeal

I know it’s not too long since I was bugging you all for sponsors for the 10k midnight walk I did recently, but this time the challenge is much bigger. I’ve never personally relied on the hospice, but wanted to support the charity should I or my loved ones ever require it. However, Birmingham Children’s Hospital – the charity I’m participating in the BUPA Great Birmingham Run half-marathon for – has had a very profound effect on my life – indeed, I wouldn’t be here, writing this blog today if not for the people at BCH, which is why I really want to raise so much money for them. At three months old, I had a life-threatening illness, and without Birmingham Children’s Hospital, the past almost-eighteen years wouldn’t have happened and I wouldn’t be alive.

The hospital also made my brother’s last days comfortable for him and for all of us, and gave us some wonderful mementos and memories of him that will last forever and we’ll always cherish them. If I can help in any small way to help the hospital to provide the same service to the countless other families like us who pass through their doors every day, I’m going to – and I’d love it if you could all help me with this. I have a JustGiving page where I discuss my reasons in greater detail, but it’s going to be a big challenge to train myself to run 13 miles by October. My intention had been to run the Manchester 10k next year – much more achievable – but the Birmingham half marathon takes place on October 21st this year, what would have been my little brother Owain’s 15th birthday, and everything about it seems perfect.

http://www.justgiving.com/madison-matthews/eurl.axd/a1ab18fa3c6a834d8d8dcdbe029e06c9

Please, please sponsor me and help to raise money for this fantastic cause!