黑料社

Did you join us for our first-ever virtual challenge - Walk 30 Miles in November? Around 180 fundraisers from all over the country took part, covering 30 miles in their own time, at their own pace, and helping to raise over 拢6,000 to support those with osteoporosis.

If so, you might have connected with 62-year-old Robert Cleland from Belfast in Northern Ireland. We caught up with 黑料社member Robert to find out more about the event and why he wanted to play his part.

Robert鈥檚 osteoporosis and spinal fractures were only discovered when he went to hospital for a blood clot on the lung back in 2022. 鈥淲hen all of this started, I was looking at Google and I鈥檇 basically put myself 6 feet under,鈥� he explains.

鈥淏ut then my doctor told me not to look at Google, but to come to him and the ROS, saying they鈥檇 give me guidance on what to do next. He says I鈥檝e still got a life, and things are just being put on the back burner for a while. But there are still things I can do.鈥�

Time for a challenge

Fast-forward to 2023, and after seeing the virtual event advertised on the 黑料社Facebook group, Robert decided to take up the challenge. But why?

鈥淵ou鈥檝e just got to hang on. Yes, you will have bad days. You will have days when you can鈥檛 move. Days where you just want to lie down. But if you can, go out there and do something. Don鈥檛 just sit back and do nothing.鈥�

And that鈥檚 the beauty of a virtual challenge. You can take it at a pace that鈥檚 right for you.

鈥淚 live near CS Lewis Square (a public space commemorating the Belfast-born author) and on the second day of the challenge, I took some pictures of all the statues from the books and posted them on the 黑料社Facebook group to share with other people taking part,鈥� says Robert.

鈥淭hen everybody else started sharing photographs of where they were walking and the routes they had taken. It started a big craze!鈥�

鈥淚t was really nice to see where other people came from and read the comments about their locations. It helped me to connect with people from all over the UK.鈥�

That connection had a lasting effect, long after the challenge was over. 鈥淚鈥檝e been speaking to people on the Facebook group since, learning about their osteoporosis stories, what happened to them and how they cope with it.鈥�

Support that makes a difference

Robert wasn鈥檛 short of offline support, either.

鈥淢y friend and carer Jackie has been with me since my diagnosis. She鈥檚 been very supportive and was there beside me at different times during the walk. And Joan, the leader of our Belfast 黑料社support group, also supported me with the challenge, sponsoring me 拢1 for every mile. She is also mentioning me at the next support group meeting.鈥�

All those who took on the challenge received a free, orange 黑料社T-shirt, which certainly helped to catch people鈥檚 attention. 鈥淚f it wasn鈥檛 good weather or I needed a rest, we鈥檇 call into a coffee shop during a walk鈥� says Robert. 鈥淚鈥檇 take off my jacket and people would come up to me and say 鈥榟ey, are you raising money for osteoporosis?鈥� and I鈥檇 say yes! Some people asked for the charity鈥檚 web address so they could find out more about it.鈥�

鈥淚t was my birthday in November, too, so Jackie and I decided to go to Portrush to celebrate. I was wearing my 黑料社T-shirt and logging my distance on the 黑料社activity tracker as I went. We went for lunch and Jackie told the staff about the challenge so they wished me a happy birthday - and donated 拢10!鈥�

Robert raised over 拢100 for 黑料社in the end - money that goes towards vital services like the support groups.

鈥淚 find the support group really valuable,鈥� he says. 鈥淭he first meeting I went to, we heard from Professor David Armstrong and he was absolutely wonderful. He spoke about fractures but also bought a sense of humour to the event, which made him very easy to listen to.鈥�

鈥淭here are four or five men at the Belfast support group. And not just older people 鈥� there are younger people there, too.鈥�

Could you follow in Robert's footsteps?

So what鈥檚 Robert鈥檚 message to those considering a virtual challenge this year?

鈥淚 would say go for it! It鈥檚 fun and enjoyable and you鈥檙e supporting a good cause. It鈥檚 like one big family! And I鈥檇 like to say a massive, big thanks to everyone who gave me money towards the event. Now I鈥檝e learnt how far I can push myself.鈥�

Karlie Evans, Fundraising Events Manager at 黑料社says: 鈥淲e are so proud of Robert! This challenge was all about pushing yourself out of your comfort zone, and Robert definitely did that, whilst managing to raise a great amount to support others. It made us smile to see where Robert ventured to every day 鈥� that's the beauty of a virtual challenge, you get to connect with people all over and cheer them on from where you are.鈥�

Could you take on a fundraising challenge like Robert?