Before I begin THIS IS THE IMPORTANT BIT we need your help in the form of a VOTE, click on The Big Break icon below:
Follow the link, VOTE and a SHARE on Twitter or Facebook to help us get what we need to get the maximum donation for Sam
And here’s why..
I was approached a month or so ago with a blogging opportunity to help raise money with Direct Debit’s Big Break campaign for a ‘charity close to my heart.’
Well, I’m ashamed to say, it almost stopped there. In fact I did initially turn it down because in my little protected bubble of a world, I hadn’t yet got a charity close to my heart. Yes, I donate to the TV biggies, I have a couple of standing orders to children’s charities after being collared in Tottenham Court Rd years ago, but did I care passionately about any particular charity? Well until now, no.
But then something happened
Something not close to my heart but very close to a good friend of mine and something geographically right on my doorstep and I realised I could help after all. After a late night flashback…
Last summer, whilst shopping in Booths, I became aware, as you do, of the table, the tins, the sheets of stickers and in the corner of my eye, a man with a t-shirt bearing the logo of the Katy Holmes Trust. I have to confess my first thought was, ‘Damn can I avoid him?’ closely followed by some fumbling for any shrapnel in my purse to hand to the toddler to dutifully hand over. But then I looked again. Properly. I looked at the bloke collecting and my heart sank. There was something about him, I’m not sure what, but it was clear, instantly, that this guy wasn’t just a bloke. He was someone’s dad. He was Katy’s dad. He was there on a Saturday afternoon collecting to raise money for his beautiful girl, who sadly had not long since lost her fight, but he had by no means given up the battle against her illness.
Thinking about this, the penny dropped.
Charity does begin at home: For a small unfortunate few, it begins right smack bang in the middle of their front room, shaking the core of everything they hold dear.
They can’t hand over a few pennies, get a sticker and walk away.
They can’t turn over the channel when it gets too emotional and go and do something less boring instead.
Because it’s there and it’s desperate.
What can we do? What can we do? How can we solve this awful problem that threatens to take away our most precious thing in the world, our child?
And here’s the thing: there’s only so much you can do at home, within your community. They can’t do it alone. They need help. BIG help. Generous help. Charities, big and small rely on people far and wide to join them in the challenge.
Charity begins with empathy.
Your time to bother to take notice.
You stopping to think about it.
Your thoughts on what you can do to help.
All charities start small and they need empathy to make them big.
So here I am and here’s the cause: Sam Shaw. 4 years old, cute as a button, lively and already a little trooper. He lives in our village and has been recently diagnosed with a most dreadful, lethal childhood cancer, Neuroblastoma. This child happens to be the Godson of a good friend of mine. The odds aren’t great (I’ll share the stats in my next post), but they are vastly improved if he can get treatment in the US which requires a stonking £250,00 to be raised and raised quickly. He hasn’t got years to raise this money, he needs it now.
Since his diagnosis, the village and wider community have started to rally. It’s one of the most heart-warming and heart-breaking things one can witness. We all have to do what we can.
So here’s what I can do:
I can donate to his Godmother who has done a Sky Dive (crazy woman!)
With my kids, we’ll take part in a sponsored walk around the village.
I can blog and tweet to spread the word.
And I can take part in the Direct Debit THE BIG BREAK campaign, which gives the charity a chance to receive a donation up to £2000
So I’d like to reframe the phrase, ‘Charity begins at home.’
It does. This one in Sam’s home, in our village.
And it also begins with EMPATHY. A charity close to my heart: as a mother, helping another mother save her child? I think I can do that.
Please please click on the link and vote:
http://www.directdebit.co.uk/TheBigBreak/100GoodCauses/Pages/CauseDetail.aspx?CauseId=493
Follow the link, VOTE and a SHARE on Twitter or Facebook to help us get what we need to get the maximum donation for Sam because sadly £100 won’t quite cut it. He needs to raise £250,000.
So 2 weeks, £2000 up for grabs. Can we do it?
You must vote by 30th April.
To donate now please text SAMS67 & your amount: £1, £2 £3 £4 £5 or £10, to 70070 or visit www.justgiving.com/SamShawAppeal