On behalf of the whole team at Findacure, we would like to say a huge thank you to Sing! Choir and Alan Blackham who took part in fundraising events last weekend.
Their fundraising was no mean feat: Alan pounded the pavement at the London Marathon, while Sing! Choir battled blustery winds as they sang outside Cambridge train station. Between them, £1283 was raised for Findacure over the weekend which will have a profound impact on the work we do as a small charity in the rare disease community.
Comprised of over twenty people, the choir proved a success at the station and drew in crowds on Saturday afternoon despite the weather. Their set list covered every genre, from Taylor Swift’s ‘Shake it off’, to ‘Amazing Grace’, to a rap, and their energy and talent paid off when £98 was donated in just one hour.
Our CEO Rick Thompson was at the event with a collection bucket and had a fantastic time, even though one of the buckets was sent flying across the road by the winds! The enthusiasm and warmth of the choir was palpable, bringing smiles to the station and hope to the rare disease community.
The weekend was off to a good start for Findacure after this performance. On Sunday, our fundraiser Alan Blackham completed the London Marathon in an impressive time of 4 hours 55 minutes and raised an incredible £1,185 in the process.
Alan has personal ties to the rare disease community, having been battling the rare condition Thoracic Outlet Syndrome for many years. Alan recently wrote a blog for us about his experience with the condition. His motivation to do the marathon stemmed from wanting to take his mind off the surgery and therapy he had undergone.
Findacure’s mission to drive research and develop treatments for rare diseases is a cause which Alan believes ‘really makes differences to people’s lives’. You can donate to Alan’s Findacure fundraising page here.