This time last week I was recovering from the month of planning that led to an amazing evening of fundraising at 'Through the Looking Glass'.
To be honest, I wasn’t just recovering from sleep deprivation and a few too many wines, but I was experiencing ‘post event woes’. They hit me hard after our wedding and then again after 'Through the Looking Glass' last year. I was expecting them big time, definitely considering I really didn’t have something to move my attention to (we hadn’t locked in our few days away or found out (thanks to all of you) that we would be planning our kitchen renovation). I depend on having something on the horizon to keep me going and avoid falling into deep depression that I cannot budge.
Anyway, so on Sunday and Monday I had an absolute meltdown because I didn’t think I raised enough money from the event. I know, I can hear you now yelling at me. I now know how stupid that is. My goal was to raise $40 000 on the night or at least improve on last years result of $36 000. Huge goals!
As of this evening, with donations still dribbling in, I raised $35 000. Not my goal. BUT AMAZING!
I am just a stupid over achiever that puts so much pressure on myself and needs to not be so silly.
It took me calculating what I have raised for Melanoma Institute Australia in the last two and a bit years to realise just how amazing I am (yes, I can say that about myself!). I have raised OVER $100 000! ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND BIG ONES!
AND $35 000 will go a long way to funding a nurse that will look over the clinical trial at the institute that will see researchers and doctors use existing drugs (drugs not currently used to treat melanoma) to target rare genes in melanoma patients who have exhausted all other treatment options.
Yay!
So thank you to everyone who has been part of this achievement, and especially those that came last Saturday and made raising money so much fun!
And wasn’t it a fun night?!?! Once again, we could not get people to leave at the end of the night. The venue just looked magical, like a little enchanted forest, the food was amazing, alcohol was flowing (lots of sore heads on Sunday), the entertainment was fab, and there was so much dancing!
There is a biglist of people that I want to thank – I could easily write a big blurb about why these individuals and businesses are so amazing, but I would be here all night writing it and you reading it.
The entertainment and suppliers for the evening:
· Those Two Girls – Sarah and Lise
· Mirra – Leonie, Lauren, Chef Allan and the rest of the team
· Ross Burbury – our wonderful singer
· Paul Collier – DJ
· Autumn Grove – that amazing tree!!!
· When Freddie Met Lilly – dressed Sarah, Lise and myself
· Blush and Bangs – Katina did my hair and make-up
· One Giant Leap Images – Danielle
· Dale Cartwright – Staging Creations
· Brandition – Michelle Loveday
· Northside Flower Market – Kim Dodwell
· Haesley Cush – Auctioneer from Ray White
· And of course, Michael Turnbull our Bachelor
All the wonderful businesses that donated to the raffle and auction:
· Solbari
· Ar-czyk shoes
· Palmaira
· Sunbella
· Cinnamon Watson who provided the theatre tickets
· Liz for offering her Air BnB unit
· Alex Perry Hotel and Apartments
· Blush and Bangs
· Madeline Holt
· Goodlife Health Clubs, Graceville and Matt Warren
· Renee Trubai photography
· Ray White Graceville – vintage bike
· A Gluten Free Kin
· Rees Family for ‘tradie for a day’
· Mott & Mulberry
· Palm Beach
· Emma and Lachie Wiggle
· 97.3 for donating theme park tickets
· Finlayson family
Ariane and Merrin from Melanoma Institute Australia for traveling to the event to help. Dee, Paula, Ruth and Velda for volunteering to help with selling raffle tickets - thank you for giving up your Saturday night, ladies!
And, most importantly, thank you so much to everyone that came to the event. It was so lovely meeting so many of you for the first time and seeing people that I haven’t seen in months. You all make my life so special and I thank you for that.
Now it is time to have a BIG rest from event planning and regroup.
I need some time to relax and focus on treatment, but I have been thinking of what I want to do with Dear Melanoma. My plan for the rest of the year is to put emphasis on public speaking, especially at schools, because I am absolutely loving it (you can enquire here), I want to write more and write for money (big step!), and I want to start writing a book. I am really excited about all three of these plans.
I look forward to having you all along for the ride!
Photos from the event are on the Dear Melanoma Facebook page and also at One Giant Leap. These images will go up on the website in the coming weeks. There will be an option to purchase prints, but that information will be provided in the coming days on Facebook and Instagram. Money from purchases of the print will go to the fundraising total for the event,
