Today I start on one of my most ambitious projects to date. I am going to walk from St Jean Pier De Pont in France to Santiago De Compostella in Spain and then via Finisterre to Portugal.
Why? Aside from my commitments with the day job (have to pay the bills), my writing work, the degree I’m studying part time at university, charity work for murder victims, blogging, family commitments, holding up my side of the bookshop, Spanish classes and author events I just don’t have enough to do?!. The why is more than that, I am using this spiritual passage of growth to raise$ 12,700 for the Cancer Society (approx $ 1 per km) . Too many families, too many children, mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters suffer from the effects of cancer. I want to help and this is the way that I have chosen.
When? I have booked my tickets and will arrive in France on 15th March next year and have reserved a little over 3 months to complete the journey.
I will be paying for all of my own out of pocket expenses so every dollar that I raise goes directly to Cancer research and does not become lost on the way. Working on an official endorsement etc by the Cancer Council to ensure that everyone has the assurance to donate etc
I will be blogging about my training, planning and fund raising over the next 350 days hoping to share the journey and the milestones.
If anybody has any experiences they want to share about fundraising, general lunacy or walking the Camino please comment here or seek me out on twitter @bookblog1.
You want to come and help – feel free to do so – happy to have thousands of walking companions. Otherwise please circulate the event to as many people as you possibly can so that we can start getting those donations rolling in.
If this does not help, think about the following, and I mean really think about it. Yesterday I was listening to the radio on the way to the day job – a local station on the Gold Coast Sea Fm. They broadcast the plight of a family here on the Gold Coast – the father has a rare form of cancer which he started suffering from – I think about 8 years ago. Recently his son has also started suffering from the same disease. Incredibly sad and also it is seriously not right. Listening to the bravery of Dad on the radio talking as a matter of fact about his experiences to date and then imagining how I would feel to see my son about to suffer from same insidious affliction. It would tear me apart. These stories are repeated from town to town, city to city, state to state and from country to country. As a human race we have had combat with many types of nasties, some we have been successful at researching and defeating others we are still trying to find the right strategy. One thing is certain by pulling together we can defeat diseases; look at the successes we have already had in the past. It is possible. Victory will take money and resources though. So help me, and by doing that, help us all fight the good fight.
Good Times
David Hibbins bookblog – book review extraordinaire