With Endometriosis Awareness Month just around the corner, we caught up with one of our amazing fundraisers Tasha Roskell to find out why she’s getting involved by hosting her third Endo The Night fundraising party.
Don’t forget to register your own Endo The Night party on our website here, and we’ll send you a fundraising and party pack to get you started.
What inspired you to get involved with endometriosis awareness month last year?
I hadn't long been diagnosed with Endometriosis when I received a newsletter about the fundraising event in March. I was actually recovering from my operation in bed at home when I decided to become a member of Endometriosis UK.
I felt I had to give something back to Endometriosis UK. It was really important to me to spread the word about endometriosis as not many people I knew had heard about it. I was inspired to raise as much money as I could as I knew there wasn’t much funding for the charity.
What have you done in previous years to mark the month?
I have actually hosted two Endo the Night fundraising events now. Both have been very successful.
On both occasions I have baked cakes and colleagues have joined me in baking to raise money at work.
I host my parties at my house and invite friends, family and work colleagues. I hold a bingo, quiz and raffle which I ask my guests to donate money to enter. In return I provide food/drink and prizes for the both the raffle and quiz winners.
How are you marking awareness month this year?
This March I will be fundraising again, doing something similar to the last two parties as I know they go down a storm. I even have work colleagues asking me when is my next one as they love it so much.
What advice do you have for people looking to host a fundraising party this year? Do you have any great tips for party hosting?
Be confident in yourself. This is your fundraising party so you've got full control. It's a must to plan in advance. Set yourself a goal on how much you want to raise. This will enable you to think about how much you want to charge for quiz or bingo etc. Set up a Facebook invitation group or a WhatsApp group. This will help you keep control over how many people you are inviting.
Endometriosis UK provide a party pack which was a great help. I also found bits on eBay and places like Poundland and B&M to keep costs down.
What message would you send out to people living with endometriosis?
To all of my fellow Endometriosis Sisters, I want to hug you all. I know how hard it is to suffer in silence. To have a doctor or consultant shun you or tell you it's all in your head. To the girls out there who are still struggling for a diagnosis, keep pushing and believe in yourself. Do your research and find a doctor that will listen. Speak to family and friends, you need lots of support.
There has been more and more awareness in this past year. We all need to stick together and keep fundraising and supporting Endometriosis UK. I believe that our strength and determination to keep going, fighting and living will change the lives of generations to come.
