RAISING AWARENESS

Today has been a busy day.

I arrived home from a night shift and sorted out my roast dinner ready for tonight. Slight disaster nearly in that my turnip in the microwave very nearly caused a fire, smelt very cindery! (see photo)

A little rest and ready for round two. My friend and her daughter were holding a fundraising and raising awareness event for chronic fatigue syndrome/me. This is an illness my friends daughter has battled with for 21/2 years. She's sometimes had a daily battle just to get out of bed. It's easy to think just pull herself together and make an effort but the poor girl just couldn't.
She's not been able to do the things girls her age do and has really felt it when her friends go off and do things she can't physically do. Recently she missed a pop concert, something all teenage girls do at some point and she was gutted to miss it. She's not been able to attend school full time and do all those exams girls her age do, but she's achieved some attendance and taken her exams so she has done really well.

It's not just this poor girl who has suffered this terrible invisible illness her parents have too, they too battle daily trying to encourage their daughter to get out of bed on those days she couldn't, worrying she is missing out on what other teenagers do, seeing the sadness in their daughter when she misses a pop concert, they themselves working as most of us do and worrying if she will be ok while they are at work. Being at the end of their tether trying to keep her going when they weren't actually sure how to go about it because it seems help was hard to come by.

My friends daughter has a lovely group of friends who have supported her through her illness they try to pick her up when she's feeling down and all credit to them for staying with her they are young people themselves and their friendship and loyalty and comitment is something to be envied.
I feel privalaged to have met them and we can learn a lot from our youth of today especially this little group.

So the fundraiser was organised in a week or so! It was an idea but wasn't made official until it was certain my friends daughter was going to be well enough to do it. Thankfully she was. They held a coffee and cake afternoon. It started at 1pm until 4pm. And what a success it was. They raised approximately £350. What a great success, it was so nice to see such a lot of people there at short notice. It was amazing the people who did come some were asked the day before, some came from their work, some came on their way elsewhere, some came from a few miles away, it was lovely to see grandma and cousins who also travelled, some neighbours, friends and those who have known my friend, her husband and daughter for years. It was a great turnout, lots of coffee and some lovely cakes.

There was a raffle, guess the sweets in the jar and a speech was made by the young lady herself to thank those who have supported her and also to raise awareness to others who may not know the effect and impact of this awful illness called Chronic fatigue syndrome.

It was a truly amazing afternoon and her dad said he felt quite emotional after the event because of the people who came and comments made. Well I did too and I will say to this young lady I am very proud of your achievements and you should be too.

I hope anyone who may be reading this is now a little more aware of this awful illness as today was about raising funds and RAISING AWARENESS.