Living with Cerebral Palsy 🍋🍋

Saturday 7 March 2015

Cherish

Forgive my lack of posts- had a very busy week and now have a 'post back-log' DOH. I'll start with this one: Last Saturday was the 'Cherish' Charity Oscars night to raise money for the Special Care baby Unit in Wrexham. Despite being Chairperson of the charity I cannot claim to have had a huge hand in organising this fab night (thanks to the amazing Nicola!) but I certainly couldn't have been more proud to be there. It reminded me of just how many babies have been helped by the unit over the years, and how generous people are when it comes to helping our little charity to survive. I joined the Charity when Elin was a baby, having seen a plaque dedicated to Cherish in the parents accommodation we stayed in for the month after she was born. I cannot tell you how invaluable those rooms were to us, to be able to stay on the unit (particularly when our newborn was in ICU!) and be close to her. I think going home to an empty house without her would have killed me after giving birth, and thanks to Cherish I didn't have to. Since then I have heard many stories over the years of families who have been helped by Cherish and each time I am so very proud of the work we do to keep it going. We were lucky- we lived in Wrexham so at best, without the accommodation we would have been 15 minutes away. But for families coming from afar as Bala, Shrewsbury and even further afield they are a godsend.  You really cannot imagine what it is like to spend the first month of your babies life in hospital, wondering if you will ever bring her home, until you've had to do it.  It still makes me feel sick now, the memory of the ward sister ringing the phone in our room in the middle of the night....running down the corridor...terrified of what you might have to face. All at the very time that is supposed to be the happiest in your life, when you should be home surrounded by family and cards and balloons. All I know is without Cherish an already unbearable time would have been even more so, if that is possible. If anyone out there *shameless plug alert* would like to donate- you can find us on Just Giving. In the meantime I'll leave you with a photo of my family at the wonderful 'Oscars' night,  minus one very important little girl, who was conspicuous by her absence, but the very reason we were all there.
We Cherish you, Elin, for always xxx


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2 comments

  1. You all look outstanding <3

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  2. Aw thank you Sali! I had borrowed Caitlin's massive heels it was nice to be taller than everyone for a change although obviously I couldn't walk in them... ;-)

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