rivers2cross

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I, like everyone, needs a gentle reminder as to why I am doing what I am doing. Of course, losing Mum to bowel cancer remains etched into my very being, but sometimes it is easy to lose that sense of perspective and what really matters. If ever there was a reason for me to do what I do with the fundraising and keeping banging on about fundraising, then this is it. Seeing the good in so many people and bringing some joy to a very young soul going through something that most of us fortunately won’t have experienced. I feel incredibly blessed to have made so many new friendships in the last few years. I am certainly reminded of gratitude and perspective. Any problems I might have are genuine and can massively affect my mental wellbeing, but I am thankful for my health and the gift of waking up each day and living this life. The next time I have any self-doubts about what I am doing, I will come back and read this post as a little reminder x

In a time when the world feels like a pretty dark place to be living in, it’s important to remember that there is still so much goodness out there and so many wonderfully selfless people. This beautiful photo was sent to me a few months ago by Kingsley Wood and was the culmination of a wonderful act of kindness by Mike Starner.

Last Autumn, I started selling cuddly lions with people able to choose the charity that receives the profits from their order. Mike, my good friend and fellow Alarm fan in the United States, very generously offered to buy a batch of the lions and have me distribute them to a worthy cause. We agreed that with Mike Peters of The Alarm, a leukaemia survivor, having his treatment in North Wales that a children’s cancer ward in the region might be worth seeking out. We also decided that the profit raised by Mike’s purchase would go to the Love Hope Strength Foundation co-founded by Mike Peters, which is a charity I am regularly supporting these days. Cue another good friend and another fellow Alarm fan, Kingsley, coming into the picture. His wife Angela sits on the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, and she very kindly offered to ensure that the lions would reach the children undergoing treatment. The young lady in the photo is an Oncology patient at Wrexham Maelor Hospital and as you can see, she was absolutely delighted with her lion. Her parents have given permission for the photo to be used by me x

Kingsley messaged me and Mike last night. Having been at the Wrexham Maelor Children’s Ward Charity Dinner, he was introduced to one of the Ward sisters who wanted to express a big thank you for the cuddly lions they received and how much of a delight they were for the kids that got to cuddle them in hospital and then take them home. To hear such words means the world and of course knowing that in some small way they can make a difference only serves to renew my determination to keep doing what I do.

For anyone who might like to support my fundraising for the cancer charities, be it the cuddly animals, music or any of the numerous items I am selling then check out my website www.rivers2cross.com/shop