21 June 2024 , 14:29
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A 26-year-old mum will abseil down one of Europe’s largest football stands to give back to the charity who helped her through cancer.
Kimberley Baggley’s world was turned upside down after she discovered she had a last June, but a year on she now wants to give something back to the charity who have helped to support her and her family since her diagnosis.
Along with her childhood best friend, Raj Malhi, Kimberley will be abseiling 100 feet down the Anfield Stadium, home to , on July 28 this year. Despite still undergoing chemotherapy treatment, the teacher is determined to raise funds for the Brain Tumour Support charity, and has also done a bucket collection outside Port Vale which raised more than £1,000 alone.
So far, Kimberley and Raj have managed to raise more than £1,200 through their . After hearing the news of Kimberley and Raj’s venture, Kimberley’s dad said: “You’ve gone mental!”
The mum-of-one said: “When I was diagnosed with a brain tumour in June last year my life, and my family’s life, was turned upside down. I had two brain surgeries in the space of two months, battled sepsis, intense radiotherapy and I’m now having chemotherapy.
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“I found it difficult to find people who actually understood what I was feeling. My family and friends could empathise, but they could never truly understand how I felt. I found Brain Tumour Support, the only charity in the UK that supports anyone affected by any type of brain tumour.
“The face-to-face and online support groups have been an invaluable support to me. They have supported me with resources on how to tell my six-year-old son, George, that ‘mummy's poorly’, and they’ve supported my husband through what he explains as ‘the worst year of his life’, as well as other things they’ve helped me and my family with.
The charity is in need of donations to continue this vital support for Brain Tumour patients, and has an SOS, ''Save Our Support'' appeal at the moment. I plan to abseil down the highest point of the Anfield Stadium, to not only raise those vital funds but also, to face my fears and to stand as an advocate for the thousands of people and their families that face their own fears of battling life with a brain tumour diagnosis every day.
“I asked Raj, my best friend of 17 years - since the first day of High School - if she’d do the abseil with me and she agreed. She’s amazing, she was my Maid of Honour at my wedding two years ago, too.
“I’m nervous, but I know it’s all for a good cause. When I was 16 I raised a lot of money to volunteer in Uganda, so it’s not my first fundraiser but it’s a lot different to anything I’ve done before. I was terrified and anxious when I was told the news of my diagnosis last year, and 34 people a day are diagnosed with brain tumours in the UK alone.
“I’ll be thinking of people I’ve met and supported as soon as I jump off the edge. It makes me feel more purposeful because I’m still not back at work, so this is taking a bit of control back in my life. I think it’s so important because I was so carefree and knew nothing about brain tumours, but this really opened my eyes. It’s one of those things you think will never happen to you.”