Charity Blog: Dash of Silver
A talk with the inspiring Dan Silver of Dash of Silver. Thank you for working with us to create a unique blog about you and the development of your charity. We hope this will help to raise awareness of all that you have achieved so far and help develop the further aims of your charity.
The charity was founded after my own personal battle with Testicular Cancer back in July 2009. There are many reasons really about motivation, obviously from a charity point of view we as a team are motivated to make sure we support all males affected by Testicular Cancer and also create awareness in the prevention of Cancer as self examination is imperative as Cancer can affect us all at any time. My own personal motivation is different, I’m motivated by the purpose to make sure that nobody goes through the battle, the experience and the challenges I went through. Nobody deserves to go through it alone either. I’m also motivated by people and inspired by them.
2. What is your role within the charity, how long have you been doing it and what does an average day look like to you?
My role within the charity is the chairman, the founder as you may like to say. The charity is my baby in some ways as I live and breathe it. My usual day consists of reading emails throughout and responding to questions/emotions from patients & families as they all like to know and understand from knowing that someone can come through it, I also work with my team to find ways how we can improve our awareness and support to the patients and even more than ever now with especially during this difficult period for everyone. I can work on charity most of day in between my normal working life, can be challenging but so fulfilling.
3. What are the main aims for the charity?
The main aims of the charity are to create more awareness for Testicular Cancer, to promote the importance of Self examination and also make people aware we as a team are there to support them throughout their journey. Also as I have lived through Cancer, it’s very humbling for me as I can see things from a different perspective and I try to put a personal stamp on things, but from a different perspective.
4. Is there a particular project or aim that you’re focusing on, that you’d like to share with people over the next 12 months?
As a charity, we have launched our new campaign called ‘LETSPLAYBALL’ where we are encouraging people, businesses, friends and family to join us to create more awareness for Self examination and Testicular Cancer. We together to fight back and stop someone else have Cancer. We also love supplying Patients with Dash Care packs to help them through their journey as its personal to me as its things I wished I had myself.
5. Who else do you work alongside in the charity? Is there a colleague or volunteer that you could not live without?
I have the best team, I mean that, they have bought into the charity, as I say we all have been and can be affected by Cancer at any time, so its personal to all of us. But I love them all and without them there is no charity. It’s the same with people whom support the charity externally, they are part of the Dash Family.
6. It’s likely that somebody new to the services of the charity is reading this. What would you like to say to them?
We as a charity are here for you 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Please feel free you contact us about anything. Sometimes a little chat with someone whom you gave no emotional attachment to, seriously helps more than anything.
7. Thank you so much for taking part in our charity blog series. Lastly before we finish, is there anything else about you, or the charity, that you’d like people to know about?
I am inspired by people, ever since the charity was formed I have met some of the nicest and bravest people you could ever wish for and they all inspire me in different ways. I am just a normal, humble guy who will fight to his last breathe to make sure that nobody wakes up to the news they have Cancer.
To find out more about Dan and his charity, or if you would like to support or get involved, please visit: https://dashofsilver.co.uk/