Week 8 - CICRA / Bowel Cancer UK / Pied Piper Appeal

My first blog was to donate to my friend Wenna Blewett for completing ten days drinking just water.  Another friend is going one step further!  Emma Mills is giving up all carbonated soft drinks for a whole year!  This is despite being a self-confessed cola addict!  As well as raising sponsorship (her donation page is here) she is donating 50p per day to the three causes closest to her heart.

CICRA - Crohn's In Childhood Research Association - was formed in 1978 to research the disease in children which was considered very rare at the time.  Emma herself suffers from Crohn's disease which can cause inflammation of any area of the intestinal tract from the mouth to the anus.  CICRA have since extended their research to cover other inflammatory bowel diseases in children.

Bowel Cancer UK is one also close to my heart as I lost both my grandad and my father-in-law to this particular cancer.  As well as funding research and supporting sufferers they campaign to make people more aware of the early signs of bowel cancer - early treatment can dramatically increase the chances of survival.

The Pied Piper Appeal is a local charity to Emma.  They raise money for sick and disabled children in Gloucestershire.  They help fund large projects - their initial goal in 1992 was to set up a children's centre at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital - to community projects and small, individual needs.