#Kris10 Final Total of £11,284.73

Delighted to say that I’ve officially raised over £10,000 for Leukaemia Care in celebration of reaching 10 years since my diagnosis of chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) in 2008.

I decided on a £10,000 goal because I was marking 10 years since diagnosis. I came up with a variety of ideas to raise the total including a gig at the world famous Cavern Club in Liverpool, a sponsored 10-mile walk, an eBay auction for signed Big Finish scripts, a number of non-uniform events at schools and much more. You can see everything I got up to by searching #Kris10 on most social media platforms.

I’ve smashed the target, raising an amazing £11,284.73 – and that’s without adding the Gift Aid, a conservative estimate would be nearer £13,500.

The funds will go a long way to helping us ensure we can be there for anyone affected by a blood cancer diagnosis.

A HUGE thanks to everyone who played a part in my #Kris10 year, it was hard work but really worth it. Thank you. Kris

#Kris10, Mission Complete

I suppose that I should have written this before I hit the target but it felt a little presumptuous.

I now struggle to find the words to convey the joy and relief I feel in hitting the £10,000 #Kris10 target for Leukaemia Care this morning. Thank you is a good start.

It’s taken nearly 11 months and it’s been really, really difficult. The walk and the recent Big Finish auction pushed us hard towards the line but there have been plenty of moment where I felt that I’d bitten off more than I can chew. It’s hard not to take things personally especially when the cause is something so personal. I’ve developed some thicker skin and a newfound appreciation for professional fundraisers. In fact, I just don’t know how they do it, it’s an incredible skill.

Nearly 11 years ago I was diagnosed with leukaemia but you know that story. The story now is about supporting people who are diagnosed with a blood cancer today, tomorrow, next week… Treatment options are improving and we’re making inroads into earlier diagnosis. There is a huge psychological impact on the patient after diagnosis and the emotional impact leaves lots of damage. Leukaemia Care do an incredible job supporting patients and families with the seismic shift a diagnosis brings and this money will make a difference.

Is there a better Christmas gift? We’ll save lives with this and given that you are reading this you are likely to have been part of this story and I genuinely can’t thank you enough for your support.

There’s always a long way to go; work like this will never end and our relentless commitment to making people’s lives better is worth it.

So, take the baton, run a marathon, jump out of a plane, fly down a zip wire or sit in a bath of beans. Go and write your own story. I’m done for now. It’s nap time. Happy Christmas.

www.justgiving.com/kris10

Auction For Signed Doctor Who Scripts For #Kris10

Original article published at Blogtor Who: https://www.blogtorwho.com/bid-on-signed-big-finish-doctor-who-scripts-in-support-of-leukaemia-care/

Many fans of Doctor Who and Big Finish know who Kris Griffin. But just in case you aren’t aware of this talented individual, Kris is a marketing whiz who has turned his Doctor Who into his passion. He’s an expert at media management and social media and as such he’s helped Big Finish grow into the beloved company that we all love. According to David Richardson and Nick Briggs he is quite simply an invaluable member of the Big Finish team.

But that isn’t everything about Kris. 10 years ago, he was diagnosed with Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia (CML). After suffering from night sweats and hip pain, he visited his GP where a blood test revealed his leukaemia diagnosis.

This left the young Worcestershire man with one question. “Am I going to die?”

Kris said, “When you’re told you have a leukaemia, or a blood cancer, or some other terrible disease, you never forget what being told feels like. There’s a ringing in the ears, everything just drains out of you. You just feel like you’ve been punched, really hard, but you feel no pain.”

Now 43-years old, Kris is celebrating life with a £10,000 fundraising goal for Leukaemia Care. As a blood cancer charity trustee and a passionate campaigner, he continually works with fellow leukaemia patients across the UK seeking access to treatment.

Auction of Big Finish Doctor Who Scripts

To help meet this goal, Kris has convinced several of the actors, writers and directors of Big Finish’s most recent Doctor Who related stories to sign a copy of their scripts for an eBay charity auction.

There are several big names on these treasured documents including the greatly missed Sir John Hurt and Jacqueline Pearce in The War Doctor 2 – Infernal Devices, David Tennant and Catherine Tate in The Tenth Doctor Adventures – Death and the Queen, Tom Baker and Louise Jameson in Doctor Who – The Sons of Kaldor, Tom Baker and Lalla Ward in Doctor Who – The Thief of Karvenos, David Bradley in The First Doctor Adventures – The Invention of Death, Georgia Tennant in Jenny – Prisoner of the Ood, Paul McGann in Doctor Who – Ravenous – Sweet Salvation, Derek Jacobi and Jemma Redgrave in Unit – Cyber Reality – Master of the Worlds and Christopher Benjamin, Trevor Baxter and Dan Starkey in Jago and Litefoot and Strax – The Haunting

The full list of cast members and scripts is shown below. You can bid on these auctions at the following link:

Big Finish – Doctor Who – 100% Charity Auction – Signed Scripts

But don’t delay. The auctions concludes on Sunday (9th December) so get your bid in.

Doctor Who – The First Doctor Adventures – The Invention of Death

The cast who have signed this script cover are:

David Bradley (First Doctor)
Jamie Glover (Ian)
Jemma Powell (Barbara)
Claudia Grant (Susan)
Tracy Wiles
Michelle Morris

Doctor Who – The Sons of Kaldor

 

The cast who have signed this script cover are:

Tom Baker (Fourth Doctor)
Louise Jameson (Leela)
Martha Cope
Oliver Dimsdale
Toby Hadoke
John Dorney

Doctor Who – Jenny – Prisoner of the Ood

The cast who have signed this script cover are:

Georgia Tennant (Jenny)
Sean Biggerstaff
Arabella Weir
Olivia Darnley
Silas Carson
Rosalyn Landor
John Dorney

The Tenth Doctor Adventures – Death And The Queen

The cast who have signed this script cover are:

David Tennant (Tenth Doctor)
Catherine Tate (Donna Noble)
Blake Ritson
Alice Krige
Beth Chalmers
Alan Cox

Doctor Who – The Thief of Kravenos

The script is for The Thief of Kravenos, this title was eventually released as The Beast of Kravenos.

The cast who have signed this script cover are:

Tom Baker (Fourth Doctor)
Lalla Ward (Romana)
John Leeson (K9)
Christopher Benjamin (Jago)
Trevor Baxter (Litefoot)
Conrad Asquith
Ed Stoppard

Doctor Who – Ravenous – Sweet Salvation

The cast who have signed this script cover are:

Paul McGann (Eighth Doctor)
Nicola Walker (Liv)
Hattie Morahan (Helen)
Mark Bonnar (The Eleven)
Nicholas Rowe
Pippa Bennett-Warner
Beth Goddard
Charlie Condou

As a special added extra, Mark Bonnar who plays The Eleven will record a special message for the winner of the auction. Thanks, Mark.

UNIT – Cyber Reality – Master of Worlds

The cast who have signed this script cover are:

Jemma Redgrave (Kate Stewart)
Derek Jacobi (The Master)
Ingrid Oliver (Osgood)
Warren Brown
Ramon Tikaram
James Joyce
Nicholas Briggs
Louis Tamone

Jago and Litefoot and Strax – The Haunting

The cast who have signed this script cover are:

Christopher Benjamin (Jago)
Trevor Baxter (Litefoot)
Lisa Bowerman
Conrad Asquith
Dan Starkey (Strax)
Carolyn Seymour
Stephen Critchlow

The War Doctor 2: Legion of the Lost

The cast who have signed this script cover are:

John Hurt (The War Doctor)
David Warner
Jamie Newall
Zoe Tapper
Robert Hands
Jacqueline Pearce
Nicholas Briggs (Daleks)

Every winner will also receive a PDF of the full script that they’ve won and a digital download of the story that they’ve won.

 

About Big Finish:

For more on Big Finish and Kris Griffin, see the Big Finish website.

About Leukaemia Care:

Leukaemia Care is a national blood cancer support charity, committed to ensuring that anyone affected by blood cancer receives the right information, advice and support.

Blood cancer is the fifth most common cancer in the UK today and the third largest cancer killer.

We provide a range of support services to patients and their carers including a helpline, nationwide support groups, patient and carer conferences, nurse education days, an informative website, cancer campaigning and advocacy and accredited cancer information and literature.

For more information, call 08088 010 444 or email care@leukaemiacare.org.uk

Fundraising…it’s awkward!

It’s two weeks until the walk. We’re approaching 30 sign-ups for the day with more promises to come through. If each individual/family is able to raise £100 in sponsorship then we could raise nearly £2,000 toward the £10,000 total.

Easier said than done, right? Look, this fundraising lark is much more difficult than I could ever have imagined. Seriously, it’s caused sleepless nights. But it was never meant to be easy. £100 raised in sponsorship, £50, £25, whatever, is money that we have to work hard at. We have to ask friends, colleagues, family and tap into your networks. Without your support, we won’t ever hit that big target.

I’ve been living with leukaemia for 10 years and I’m one of the lucky ones. I’ve been through things that have been tough both mentally and physically. What I’ve learnt is that there are brilliant people out there diagnosing, treating and supporting people with the devastating diagnosis of a blood cancer. The money raised will be going right back into the system and ensure that we are even better at diagnosing and supporting.

I know it’s a pain and I recognise that asking for a charitable donation or sponsorship is completely awkward. There are 650 people diagnosed every year with my leukaemia (CML). Blood cancer is the third biggest cancer killer behind lung and bowel cancer. That moment of awkwardness could potentially save a life. That’s why I’m writing this and gritting my teeth through the awkwardness.

So sponsor me: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/kris10

Or join us, walk 10 miles with us: www.accesscmldrugs.wordpress.com/2018/08/30/charity-canal-walk-looking-for-participants-of-all-ages/

Thank you, Kris

P.S. Thank you to the Worcester News and the Kidderminster Shuttle for their support of the #Kris10 walk.

www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/16683894.join-kris-on-his-canal-walk-to-raise-money-for-worcester-charity-leukaemia-care/

www.kidderminstershuttle.co.uk/news/16683892.residents-urged-to-lace-up-their-walking-shoes-for-kidderminster-man-kris-griffins-charity-challenge/

Charity canal walk looking for participants of all ages

A picturesque canal walk set to raise funds for a Kidderminster man’s year of fundraising is looking for people of all ages to take part.

Kris Griffin is taking on a year of fundraising in celebration of reaching his 10-year anniversary since being diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML). All proceeds raised will be donated to Leukaemia Care, a national charity based in Worcester who support anyone affected by a blood cancer diagnosis.

The canal walk has been organised by Kris’ wife, Kelly Griffin, and will start and end at the Anchor Inn Pub on the Diglis Docks, with walkers following the 10-mile scenic route towards Droitwich and back again.

Kris said, “What can be better than a brisk 10-mile walk around the waterways of Worcestershire on a Sunday afternoon? The money we are raising is going to save lives and I’m sure we’ll have a blast doing it.

“The support that we’ve received so far has been really encouraging but we need more walkers, so dust off those walking shoes and join us.”

So far, Kris has raised over £4,000 of his £10,000 target, and with the walk coinciding with September’s Blood Cancer Awareness Month, he hopes to get ever closer to his goal whilst raising awareness of leukaemia. For the past two years, the charity has marked Blood Cancer Awareness Month with a month long #SpotLeukaemia campaign to highlight the signs and symptoms of leukaemia.

The walk will take place on Sunday 23rd September at 11am. Anyone wishing to take part in the walk can request a sponsorship form from Leukaemia Care by calling 01905 755 977 or emailing fundraising@leukaemiacare.org.uk.

If you’d like to make a donation to Kris’ fundraising, head to his JustGiving page: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/kris10.

Kidderminster Event: The Lady and the Sax

A night of music is coming to the Kidderminster Cricket Club as talented local duo The Lady and the Sax support a Kidderminster man’s fundraising.

Kris Griffin is taking on a year of fundraising in celebration of reaching his 10-year anniversary since being diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML). All proceeds raised will be donated to Leukaemia Care, a national charity based in Worcester who supports anyone affected by a blood cancer diagnosis.

Kris said, “As well as being a huge cricket supporter, my son Luca plays at the club, so I’m delighted that Kidderminster Cricket Club is supporting my campaign to raise £10,000 for Leukaemia Care.

“The support I’ve received from people across Wyre Forest has been incredible and I know that this will be a great night of music that everyone will enjoy.

“There’s a long way to go to reach that magic £10k mark but we’ve started strong; every penny will make a difference and save lives. It really is that important.”

So far, Kris has raised over £1,600 of his £10,000 target and hopes a night of music from The Lady and the Sax will help him on his way to his ambitious target. The funds raised from tickets sales will be split 50/50 between Leukaemia Care and Kidderminster Cricket Club Juniors.

The event will take place on Friday 29th June and starts at 8:30pm. Tickets are £8 and can be purchased at the club or by calling 07841 502535.

If you’d like to make a donation to Kris’ fundraising, head to his JustGiving page: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/kris10.

Happy birthday to me!

Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me, Happy birthday dear me, happy birthday to me.

That all sounds rather self-congratulatory but I’m using my birthday as a weapon to raise money so I’m vindicated, forgiven and a year older.

Ten years ago when I was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) I wasn’t sure if I was going to live to 33 and now ten years later, I’m still here age 43; pretty good at maths too!

To celebrate the ten years since diagnosis (or as the Bee Gees would say, Stayin’ Alive), I’ve set myself a challenge to raise £10,000 for Leukaemia Care, the Worcester-based national charity that I’m a trustee of. The money will be spent training more GPs about the signs and symptoms of blood cancer. It will save lives.

So instead of showering me with gifts and cards this year, I’m encouraging you to throw money at me. That’s right, I’m making the ultimate sacrifice and giving up my birthday. No new socks and pants this year but we all get a warm and fuzzy feeling for doing the right thing.

Also, I got a target to hit, that £10,000 isn’t going to raise itself. So, join me, in wishing me, a happy birthday. Donate at www.justgiving.com/kris10 or text KTEN99 £5 to 70070 to donate £5.

All together now…for he’s a jolly good fellow…

One Week In For #Kris10

We’re a week in, only 51 weeks left to go! If you haven’t donated yet there’s plenty of time.

Nearly £900 of donations have come in, we’re approaching 10% of our target. I’m absolutely delighted and send my thanks and appreciation to everyone who has supported me so far.

Plans are coming together for a 10-mile walk on the 23rd September, the day after world CML day. We’ll start in Worcester and walk to Droitwich. As soon as we open sign-up, I’ll drop a message. Keep that date free!

Tickets are selling for the concert at the Cavern Club and we haven’t even announced any acts yet! More to come on that too. It’s on the 1st November and you can buy tickets now: http://bit.ly/CavernClubKris10.

The local media have been incredibly supportive, click the publication to open the story:

Kidderminster Shuttle
Worcester News
Express & Star

I’ve also been interviewed by my good friend Cavan Scott who is a number one best-selling author and comic writer for both adults and children. You can find the interview here: http://bit.ly/2o73ofl

If you can help me reach my £10,000 target through supporting any of the events, donating or getting involved, please contact me or visit www.justgiving.com/kris10.

To follow my story and to find out more about the fundraising, search online using the hashtag #Kris10.

Thank you. Kris

I’m celebrating a decade since diagnosis with £10,000 fundraising goal!

I was diagnosed with Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia (CML) in 2008, aged 32, after visiting my GP with symptoms such as night sweats and pain in my hip. A blood test went on to reveal a leukaemia diagnosis which had me asking the question, “Am I going to die?”

When you’re told you have a leukaemia, or a blood cancer, or some other terrible disease, you never forget what being told feels like. There’s a ringing in the ears, everything just drains out of you. You just feel like you’ve been punched, really hard, but you feel no pain.

Now ten years on, I’m a marketing expert, blood cancer charity trustee and a passionate campaigner working with fellow leukaemia patients across the world seeking access to treatment. I’m also a seasoned public speaker, I recently spoke at a training day for 40 West Midlands GPs to help them understand what a blood cancer diagnosis feels like from a patient perspective.

The diagnosis made a huge difference to my life. Clearly, I could do without it, but it has made me a better person, I’ve no doubt about that. It’s made me recognise the important things in life.

To celebrate ten years since diagnosis, I’ve set myself a challenge to raise £10,000 for Leukaemia Care, the Worcestershire-based national charity that I’m a trustee of. I am also donating 10 days of my time to help support the charity, from marketing support to holding live webinars for anyone affected by a blood cancer diagnosis.

One of my key events in this year of fundraising will include a gig which is being held at the Cavern Club in Liverpool on 1st November 2018. As a huge Beatles fan, I was delighted when the Cavern Club gifted the space to hold the fundraising event. Other fundraising ideas include a 10-mile walk and donating my birthday to the charity in lieu of presents.

Nicole Scully, fundraising manager for Leukaemia Care said, “Kris is a fantastic example of somebody who is living well with a blood cancer. Kris is using his own strength to support others who sadly may not be living as well as he is. His fundraising pledge is a huge boost to the charity and will enable us to train more GPs about the signs and symptoms of blood cancer, support haematology nurses and continue to fund our support services for patients. We’re really excited to see how Kris’ year pans out.”

Tickets for my charity gig in Liverpool are now available through the Cavern Club website http://bit.ly/CavernClubKris10.

To follow my story and to find out more about the fundraising, search online using the hashtag #Kris10, follow Leukaemia Care on social media or visit the JustGiving page: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/kris10.

Khalid Younis – an update

You’ll recall that we’ve been working with Khalid Younis, the father-of-four who lives in England and has received the devastating news that he does not qualify for Ponatinib, a treatment freely available in Scotland and Wales. The new ‘wonder’ drug is the only treatment left for the 43-year-old who is battling Chronic Myleoid Leukaemia (CML), of which there are 700 new cases a year in the UK. His body has become resistant to all other medicines and he is not eligible for a stem cell transplant. Mr Younis, a former carpet fitter, is being treated at Birmingham’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital and this drug is his last chance; he’s been told that his case is “not exceptional.” You can find my original posts HERE and HERE.

Whilst the story received exceptional media coverage, things may have appeared to have quietened down over the last two weeks. They haven’t.

Firstly, the petition set up by Debbie Williams has attracted 7,507 supports, the target is 10,000. If you haven’t signed the petition, please sign it now: www.change.org/p/nhs-nice-cancer-dad-denied-tratment

Kate from The Pamela Northcott Fund is putting together an appeal against the decision. Kate is an incredible person who has an amazing track record of supporting cancer patients who have been denied access to new drug therapies that have yet to be approved by NICE or refused by NICE. Kate offers this as a completely free service to patients, her reward is seeing a cancer patient on the right treatment. You can find more out about the Fund by visiting the website www.pamelanorthcottfund.org.uk.

Roger Godsiff MP, Khalid Younis, Kris Griffin

Khalid and I have been in touch with Khalid’s MP, Roger Godsiff – www.rogergodsiffmp.co.uk – who has written to NHS England, NICE and the Secretary of State for Health about the case. Roger has been incredibly supportive. We met up with him last week at his home and he listened with interest to Khalid’s story and offered advice on next steps.

If you are a patient, based in England and wish to take action on this matter, please get in touch with me through my contact form. I’ll ask you to write to your MP as a CML patient and request they too write to the Secretary of State to Health to highlight Khalid’s case. I’ll help you out with the wording of the letter.

Finally, if all else fails we are considering a fund-raising campaign to pay for Khalid’s drugs. We hope that it doesn’t come to that.

All things considered, Khalid is in incredibly good spirits. He very much appreciates the efforts that everyone is making and wishes to send thanks out to you all.

We’ll keep fighting. Thanks, Kris

Khalid Younis and Kris Griffin