Nadine Wood, from Ipswich is nearing a £30,000 goal in honour of three members of her family who lost their lives to brain cancer. Here, Nadine explains how her #30for30 challenge became a team effort
An Ipswich woman is nearing her ambitious £30,000 fundraising goal in honour of three family members who lost their lives to brain cancer. Nadine Wood launched the #30for30 challenge in April this year – a series of events and challenges to raise money for Brain Tumour Research, including a bake sale, quiz night, bingo night, skydive and gala dinner. It comes after she lost three members of her family to brain cancer – grandad Cyril, uncle Nigel and cousin Jazelle.
What started as a one-woman mission quickly became a full-scale community effort, with support of close friends Teresa, Liv and Shirley – known as Team 30for30 – alongside family, friends and husband Ray. Together, their efforts have raised an incredible £28,100 so far.
“This all started very simply with love, loss and the need to do something,” Nadine said. “My family has been deeply affected by brain cancer – we’ve lost my grandad, my uncle Nigel and beautiful cousin Jazelle, all far too soon. My grandad Cyril passed 30 years ago, Nigel was taken 30 years too soon and we lost my cousin Jazelle aged just 30.
“They were the best of the best – so warm, kind and giving. Jazelle’s smile would light up a room – and she’s still the first person I look out for at every family event.
“My grandad was so genuine and such a hard worker, and my uncle was always like a father to me. Even now it doesn’t feel like their loss has sunk in. And I don’t think it will for a while.”
Nadine and the team have also been helped by her employer RT Infrastructure Solutions – who donated 10% of the target – alongside a host of other businesses including Colour Plan Ipswich, Emma’s Florist and JP Metal Works, among many others.
Nadine added: “The work the Brain Tumour Charity does to carry out research and provide hope for families in the future is amazing. There have been so many highlights – the skydive was incredible. But really, the highlight for me has been how everyone has come together to support our family. I’ve had a huge team behind me, the ladies have been phenomenal, as have my family, friends and colleagues, who have been amazing.
“Together we are doing it #ForThem – whether that’s grandad, Uncle Nigel and Jazelle or anyone else out there whose lives have been affected by brain cancer.
“I really want us to hit that £30,000 target. I hope this campaign will be something we look back in the future and think ‘how amazing was that?’ If our journey brings hope to even one more family, then that’s what it’s all about.”
Donations to the #30for30 campaign can be made at justgiving.com.
Featured image of Nadine Wood – supplied by Nadine Wood
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