Whilst 2024 has been a challenging year for us personally for health reasons, it has been one filled with love, hope and strength, and the Foundation that we established almost twenty years ago, in November 2006, has certainly helped provide us with focus and purpose.
The Love Hope Strength Foundation began the year with the Love Hope Strength hike at the Gathering in Cardiff. Hundreds gathered at the Senedd Building and then walked across the Barrage together, before regrouping for music and an update on Love Hope Strength.
Later that month we held the first Love Hope Strength Treat: Retreat for 22 ladies affected by breast cancer. The women had all been nominated or nominated themselves for the break which was designed to help them rest, relax, regroup, recuperate, reset and retreat for 48 hours. The group took part in hikes, arts and music therapy, yoga, Pilates and soundbath sessions, and had the opportunity to share their own experiences and have fun together. This special weekend was described as ‘truly magical, exactly what I needed to help me cope with my diagnosis’. Love Hope Strength aims to hold the second Treat: Retreat in 2025, date to be confirmed. You can nominate your loved one via the Love Hope Strength website.
In June, 33 hikers took on the Camino de Santiago, for ‘El Camino Rocks’, trekking 70km through the stunning hills and meadows of Northern Spain to Santiago de Compostela. The group, who enjoyed fun-filled evenings of music as well as moments of calm reflection, raised over $100,000 together. The group collectively helped highlight the value of the five ways to well-being, which are especially important when dealing with a diagnosis, learning to adjust to life post treatment or living with grief: connecting with others; being active; taking notice; learning and giving. One hiker said: “The LHS hikes are like a tonic. The camaraderie, the beautiful locations, the conversations and the music all cancel out the pain in my legs from the hiking. Yes, it’s a challenge, but it’s also nourishing, life-changing and incredibly fulfilling, especially knowing that with each step we are helping to save lives.” A huge thank you to all who took part, and to everyone who made this trek possible.
Also in June, over 190 people joined in with the Solidarity Rock ‘n’ Stroll and Red Rocks Weekend in North Wales. A weekend of walking and talking, music and laughter provided a boost for Mike, who had been unable to join El Camino Rocks due to hospital appointments, and gave many families affected by cancer an opportunity to remember and celebrate loved ones or mark significant milestones in their own lives.
In September we were invited to the World Cancer Congress in Geneva, where Mike gave a speech at the first plenary session to an auditorium of leading clinicians, researchers, campaigners and corporate representatives who had come together to redouble efforts advance cancer control. Mike received a standing ovation, and the event provided us with an opportunity for Love Hope Strength to deepen existing partnerships and develop new ones.
In November we launched the One in a Million Campaign to encourage more people to ‘Get on the List’ and register to become potential stem cell donors. Within the first week of the campaign, LHS’ partners – DKMS the international blood cancer charity – had seen a 30% increase in the number of requests for swab kits in the U.K. There is much more to come over the next two years as we continue with our quest to register more people on stem cell registries across the world, but for now we would like to express our sincere thanks to everyone who has reached out to offer their assistance, who have already organised their own donor drives, and who have begun organising events and activities to support the One in a Million campaign.
This year the money we have all collectively raised in the name of Love Hope Strength has helped support our long-standing partners, the Union for International Cancer Control and Tumaini La Maisha (TLM).
The Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) is the largest global membership organisation dedicated to taking action on cancer, representing cancer services and professionals from across the continuum of cancer care, from prevention, early detection, treatment and care to palliative care. UICC has official relations with the World Health Organisation, connects more than 1,100 member organisations over 170 countries and territories and works with over 60 partners to bring together health leaders, governments, civil society and policy makers to unite the cancer community. This year LHS has supported UICC’s Membership Support Fund to enable hospitals, research facilities and other cancer organisations from low and middle-income countries, particularly those in regions facing conflict, to join the UICC so their staff, volunteers and patient representatives can access training, resources and expertise to enhance treatment and care at a local level and help provide greater equality in improving cancer survival rates globally.
TLM is the Children’s Cancer service in Tanzania. This year Love Hope Strength has provided funding for the team at the Children’s Cancer Unit at the Muhimbili Hospital in Dar Es Salaam, and its outreach services across the country to fund salary, equipment and chemotherapy costs. The partnership between LHS and TLM has been in place for many years: the Hospital Unit’s two wards and hostel are called ‘Tumaini, Upendo, Ujasiri’, Swahili for Love, Hope and Strength.
In addition, this year Love Hope Strength has pledged to support the lifesaving work of the Christie Cancer Treatment Centre in Manchester, where Mike is currently receiving treatment, and DKMS.
We would like to once again thank all of you who have chosen to support and get involved in the Love Hope Strength Foundations in the USA, UK and in Australia in 2024, and would like to take this opportunity to thank the USA Board members and the UK and Australia Trustees for their passion, commitment, knowledge and expertise.
In 2025 Love Hope Strength aims to do so much more:
- Continue to support LHS’ existing partners and develop new partnerships to further our mission
- Carry out more educational activities and donor drives in the US and UK to achieve our One in a Million goals
- Hold a Treat:Retreat in the U.K.
- Organise UK and international treks
Here’s to another year of saving lives one concert, one step and one helping hand at a time. We will start 2025 with an uncertain future, with Mike undertaking CAR-T therapy, but we nevertheless feel positive and very thankful for the optimistic options available to us, thanks to the advancements in treatment in recent years. We remain steadfast in our mission to help others affected by cancer feel the love, hope and strength they need to get themselves through challenging times, and we hope you will join with us in 2025 so that together we can achieve even more over the next 12 months.
Every year the Love Hope Strength Board and Trustees choose a ‘Love Hope Strength’ person of the year. This year, we have together decided to recognise an organisation, rather than one particular person, which has shown true commitment to improving the lives of people affected by cancer: the Beauchamp Family Foundation. The Beauchamp Family Foundation has for some time now granted a $50,000 annual matched fund for the Love Hope Strength Foundation. This has meant that every $1 or £1 raised for Love Hope Strength, up to $50,000 is automatically doubled. This generous annual gift continues to allow Love Hope Strength to plan more effectively and develop meaningful relationships with other key partners, and importantly it means that supporters’ donations go even further towards transforming the lives of people affected by cancer. The Beauchamp Family Foundation has again agreed to provide matched funding as we go into 2025. We are so very grateful to all at the Beauchamp Family Foundation for their unstinted support; they are certainly very worthy Love Hope Strength people of the year.
Wishing you, your families and cherished friends a very peaceful, productive and happy 2025,
Mike and Jules Peters x
31st December 2024
