With her husband and mother told to shield, Lesley has been thinking of ways she can fundraise during lockdown. Well, I’ll be darned… it turns out she sew gifted at this fundraising lark!
“This charity means a lot to me and I know, from speaking to some of the team, how much the pandemic is impacting on fundraising. Whilst they are doing everything they can, the longer this goes on, the more this could impact on the services they provide to people living with lung cancer, people like my husband, Tony.
Tony was diagnosed in 2015. Originally, we thought it had been caught early, only to be told a few months later that it was incurable. At that point, Tony was given just 3-6 months. We were devastated. Fortunately, a biopsy revealed a mutation. He was suitable for targeted therapy and life, whilst not without it’s ups and downs, has been good for the past five years.
Since Tony’s diagnosis, he has spoken at one of the charity’s information days and been part of its Follow my Lead awareness campaign. Tony loved being part of both. He’s always a very positive person, both before and throughout his diagnosis. Being part of the information day and campaign has given him the opportunity to share his positivity with others like him and, hopefully, a little hope.
This is something Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation does – offer hope to those with the disease and their loved ones. They focus on helping people live with lung cancer and live well with it. Now, they need our help.
With Tony obviously classed as high risk and advised to shield, I’ve been wracking my brains of ways I could raise some money for the charity. One of the ideas I came up with was to make face masks for our friends, family and neighours and ask for a donation.
It’s been really popular! I put a message out on Facebook to my family and friends and had loads of people message me pretty much straight away. Fortunately, I’ve got my 87-year-old mum who’s helping me make them! So far, we’ve raised £250, which I know the charity will put to good use and help people like Tony.”
Lesley found a pattern and instructions to make her masks on YouTube. She also joined the Facebook group Mask Makers UK to get other patterns, advice and tips.
Advice about wearing a face mask
Under the current government advice, people are encouraged to wear a face mask in enclosed public spaces where social distancing isn’t possible, such as shops or public transport.
It is important to remember a face mask does not protect you from catching COVID-19. However, it may provide some protection for others who you come into contact with if you are infected but are not displaying symptom. If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms, you must self-isolate and arrange to have a test to see if you have the virus:
- – Cough
- – High temperature
- – Loss of, or change in, your normal sense of smell or taste.
Face coverings do not replace social distancing. If you do go out, please ensure to follow the latest government advice and stay a minimum of 2 metres from others.
If you have lung cancer, you may find wearing a mask difficult and that it can exacerbate symptoms, such as breathlessness. If you do find it hard to wear a mask, don’t wear one.
