Blog with a purpose – Anthony Nolan/Open Links

   

If I have a flaw, and the truth is … I have many, it’s that I’m loyal to a fault. I’m either on your team or I’m not. I either root hard for you or ignore that you are in fact on this planet with me. I tend to have tunnel vision about things as well, but when I become a fan I am usually all in until … well I’m not. As is the case with one Tom Holland. I have posted on here before on my love of Spiderman (all of them are unique in their own way but I especially love Tom’s version of Peter Parker), my love of the Crowded Room, the enjoyment I get watching Spies in Disguise or Onward after a long week, and my obsession with the movie Cherry … all of which star … one Tom Holland. I even enjoyed In the Heart of the Sea (which also starred Chris Helmsworth) and Pilgrimage, Chaos Walking, and of course the one that started it all The Impossible. The more I learn about this kid the more I love him. I can call him a kid cause he’s younger than me. The young man carries himself very well in both his personal and professional life and he just seems like an all-around nice guy that makes you want to cheer for him to succeed.

One of my favorite things about him is the charity he and the family set up, The Brothers Trust, in order to make positive use of his "fame". I have previously talked about this on this blog and will likely do so many more times moving forward. I love that it exists to shine a light on charities that might not get the limelight it deserves but what I really love is that the entire family is involved. I love that what they are doing is really making a difference. I gladly support it with charitable donations and proudly wear my t-shirt and hoodie when the weather allows it. A few weeks ago I had a cold (not covid) and couldn’t get warm so I wore that hoodie for 2 days straight. It was the only way I could get warm.  That’s how I found out about the subject of my 2^nd Blog with a Purpose post which focused on DEBRA one of the charities supported by the Brothers Trust to help fight Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB).

HOWEVER ……. Like my previous blog … this one isn’t really about Tom Holland …. or frankly the Brother’s Trust ….. well … not really, but they are all connected.

While learning more about this young man, I stumbled upon the fact that his father is an author in addition to a successful comedian in the UK. As a self-diagnosed “Bibliophile” (A person who collects or has a great love of books) I was intrigued. While clicking around on the Brother’s Trust site one day to see what all they had to offer, I saw one of his books on sale called “Open Links” oh a Golf Book I thought …. then read some more and realized all proceeds for the book go to the charity called “The Anthony Nolan Trust” which saves lives by matching people with blood cancer. Oh that’s interesting I thought … and bought the book. 

   

It sat on my shelf for a while cause again it was a “golf book” not something I’m particularly interested in. Golf I mean. My company has a “internal” golf tournament every year that I go to in order to take pictures and I like putt putt when ever I’m on vacation but that’s so not the same thing. Then one day I am looking around for something new to read and at the top of my to be read pile was Mr. Holland’s book, Open Links. It was a short read. I was in the mood for something different so I dove in. It took me longer to not read it than it did to read it. I couldn’t put it down. This “golf book” sucked me in like no other book had in a very long time. Open Links follows the story of Ricky Randall a journeyman professional golfer playing in the final round of the Open Championship at Muirfield. The book starts with Ricky in the middle of what I would call a panic attack at the idea of the day ahead of him. In this final Round Ricky finds himself at the bottom of the standings with nowhere to go but up. It takes Ricky a bit to pull his arse out of his hindquarters and get on with it, which makes the reader want to grab him by the shoulders and shake him. At least I wanted to. The novel takes place over a single round of golf, 18 holes, 18 chapters and even non golf fans can feel the build up and understand the drama unfolding in front of them.  The Anthony Nolan Trust features heavily throughout the book and upon learning more about them you quickly understand why Mr. Holland gave the proceeds to the charity.  

In 1974 Shirly Nolan founded the Anthony Nolan Trust after her son was diagnosed with blood cancer. In 1971 Anthony was born with Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome. The cure … a bone marrow transplant. In 1974 the Anthony Nolan Bone Marrow Register was established to make searching for unrelated donors easier. Mrs. Nolan wanted to give other blood cancer patients and those suffering from other forms of blood disorders a second chance at life. Finding donors was much harder back then than it is today. In 1979 Anthony died at the age of 7. That’s also the year I was born. Today the Anthony Nolan Trust has helped over 22K people receive a lifesaving transplant.  As the Trust celebrates 50 years I'm excited to help support them through a book that I really enjoyed. 

I won’t tell you how Rickys’ round ended or the insane circumstances surrounding the round. For that you’ll need to pick up the book and read it on your own. You will not be disappointed in having taken the ride. If it gets you to learn more about the Anthony Nolan Trust even better. 

Purchase your own copy of the book here via Amazon .... https://a.co/d/1l3q328

To learn more about the Anthony Nolan Trust go here ….   https://www.anthonynolan.org/

Check out The Brothers’ Trust here ……     https://www.thebrotherstrust.org/

I have since bought many of Mr. Holland’s books and highly suggest I Gabriel, the Fruitbowl, and if you are a Tom Holland fan Eclipsed which is a diary of sorts about a son eclipsing his father which takes place during the filming of The Impossible and I often think that one day Tom might be writing a similar one about his brothers one day. Mr. Hollands latest books “Takes on Life Vol 1” and “Takes on Life Vol 2” evolved into a Podcast that can be found on Spotify and is a GREAT listen as well as excellent reads. The Margaret Mizen episode really stood out for me, as did the Omid Djalili one and the Graeme Souness episodes.

To learn more about Dominic Holland  go here …….      https://www.dominichollandbooks.com/

To join his Patreon for exclusive content  go here …….    https://www.patreon.com/dominicholland/posts

(tell him Marcy sent you) 😊

As with the rest of my Blog with a Purpose posts the goal is to teach you something, and make you think about or become aware of a cause that I think is worthy of your time. People dealing with blood cancers and unseen diseases, of which my partner in crime @theonlygolden can attest to, is harder to deal with than those that people can see. People tend to dismiss the battle inside cause they can’t really see it making the effects worse for the patient.

I am proud to support the Brothers Trust, proud to support Open Links and am very proud to support the Anthony Nolan Trust as they fight to save lives. With the exposure from this book and the recognition that comes from it may they go from saving three lives a day to many, many more.

Marcy

(@beaslma)