This coming Saturday, as part of the Dundee FC Supporters' Society’s Community Initiative, we welcome Marie Curie Cancer Care, an organisation that provides care for terminally ill patients. Although the name suggests that only cancer patients are cared for, the truth of the matter is that Marie Curie Cancer Care help with terminally ill, whether it be cancer, heart disease or Multiple Sclerosis to name but a few, either in their own homes, or at any of the nine Marie Curie hospices located throughout the UK.
As part of the visit, Marie Curie Cancer Care will be urging Dundee fans to help the charity while helping themselves, by taking part in a ten kilometre walk at hill of Tarvit in Fife to raise some money for a truly worthy cause. This walk will take place on 4th August, and is on the site of the original Marie Curie Hospice, where along with the walk, a day of celebration is also planned, with live music and family entertainment planned for the evening.
Last year’s event saw over 260 people take up the challenge, and help the national total for the walk reach £436,000. With the help of the most generous supporters in the country, who always seem to be happy to give their time freely to a good cause, an opportunity exists to not only help this charity top that total this year, but possibly improve fitness at the same time. The event is one of many organised by Marie Curie Cancer Care, and anyone who feels a 10k walk may be a bit ambitious can be assured that there will be an event to suit them; the events are designed with people of all fitness levels in mind, and every penny raised by supporters of Marie Curie Cancer Care will be used locally to fund free professional nursing care to local patients who want to end their life at home.
Petra McMillan, the patron for Marie Curie in Dundee, is in no doubt that Dark Blue fans have much to gain from taking on this challenge, one that will also help local families in need. "We'd like Dundee fans to lend us some of their fighting spirit and loyalty by taking on a challenge to help local families. Walking, running, cycling - whatever - we have something to suit everyone. We can't promise you'll be as fit as Ronaldo but you will feel great being part of our winning team."
To help prepare prospective walkers, Marie Curie cancer Care has partnered with healthy slimming lifestyle company gwenmccreadie.com, and anyone wishing to take part in this challenge who possibly feels that fitness may be an issue is welcome to attend any of the many regular classes held throughout Dundee and the surrounding area. Gwenmcreadie.com clients are also to take part in an event at the University of Dundee, where 65 clients have agreed to abseil down the Tower Building, in an attempt to raise £10,000 for Marie Curie Cancer Care.
The women (and men) have already set themselves the goal of dropping pounds to raise pounds and they intend to be much lighter and fitter by the time they step off the Perth Road building on June 2nd. In addition, some enthusiastic members have also signed up for the Hill of Tarvit 10K walk on August 4th when, it is hoped, up to 500 men and women from across north east Scotland will enjoy a summer evening's hike through the Fife countryside.
Evelyn McCafferty, a class advisor for gwenmccreadie.com, has her sights firmly set on Dundee fans who are willing to rise to the challenge of helping the Marie Curie Cancer Care cause, "We're welcoming more and more men into our classes and they're delighted about the steady and long term results they achieve with us. For those people keen to get fit but in need of extra support with their weight, we're here to provide help every step of the way."
Evelyn will be in attendance on Saturday along with Marie Curie Cancer Care, and welcomes the prospect of talking to Dundee fans of all fitness levels about the positive benefits of making healthier lifestyle choices.
The Dundee FC Supporters' Society are delighted to welcome Marie Curie Cancer Care to Dens Park, and would urge all supporters to take a bit of time to visit the stand in the Bobby Cox concourse. Community Director Jacqui Robertson said, "to have Marie Curie along to Dens is an honour in light of the incredible work they do and no more so than this excellent collaboration between Marie Curie and gwenmcreadie.com. Please take the time to chat to the ladies in the Bobby Cox Stand before the match and look out for information around the stadium.
"This challenge is sure to appeal to some of our supporters or people they know."
For more information about Marie Curie Cancer Care, or to register for one of the many planned events, visit www.mariecurie.org.uk or call (0131) 5613951.
Anyone wishing to find out more about gwenmccreadie.com can visit the website, or call (01307) 819380 for details of a class near you.