I know I know....

Completely lax blogging-ness yet again. Sorry. Life just never seems to stop at the moment. Well actually, I've paused today - first day off in weeks - and it's rather nice not to be traveling anywhere this weekend!

Last weekend I was up in Manchester to do some filming with Oli. We filmed the lovely Holly Shaw and also attended Team Ethan's fundraiser. It was a wonderful event; there was so much laughter and friendliness and warmth, but everything was tinged with sadness. The Collins family are just incredible; I don't really know how to sum up how much admiration I have for their strength and spirit. It was quite clear to see where Ethan got his ability to smile through everything came from. Oli has put together an awesome video of Team Ethan's weekend, which you can view here.

Whilst there, Oli and I had to stand up and speak. It was one of the hardest speeches I've ever done, as usually we go for the good old "look at this, this is what transplant can do, it's amazing" but of course that was not a possibility given the circumstances.

Jumping a bit (but it's related, honest)...there's some strange creature who calls herself "Kate" who has been raining down criticism on Holly, both about her Battlefront campaign and about her as a person (charming). "Kate" claims her biggest problem is that the whole story isn't being told, that transplants are not the miracle they are made out to be.

Firstly, whoever said they were a miracle? If transplantation was a perfect solution then anyone born with something like CF would be listed at birth. It's not perfect, it has risks, it has complications. But what aggrivates me about "Kate" and her opinions is that she is missing the whole damn point. Transplants are not offered to people who have other options; they are a last-ditch attempt at saving ones life. Not only that but my god is my quality of life 20 billion times better now than it was before. I didn't even realise how my illness affected everything I did until I was able to experience life this side of the looking glass.

For me though, transplantation holds as high a significance psychologically as it does physically. When I was waiting for transplant, I was able to keep going and to aim for things and to try and continue living my life (even by making tiny steps forwards). This was because I had hope. I had hope that this call would come, I had hope that I'd get a second chance at life, I had hope that someone out there would sign the organ donor register and in doing so save my life.

Hope is a huge thing and cannot be underestimated. Without that knowledge that I was aiming for something, I can guarantee I would not have lasted those 22 months. I was fighting for that chance, that hope and that's why (and how) I held on.

How anyone can suggest that because your hair can get thinner and you might get acne that having a transplant isn't worth it is completely beyond me. It just shows a complete lack of comprehension of the whole picture. Ethan's family are so movingly grateful to have been called, despite their sad ending, and their amazing graciousness makes me even more angry at people who make sweeping generalisations about how transplants aren't worth it.

A transplant offers hope. It offers the chance (sadly not the guarantee...not yet) of a new, better quality of life. It can save lives when nothing else can. And it is the most beautiful most precious gift anyone can give.

Jess is someone I've mentioned many times over the years. She is the feisty small blonde person with the infectious giggle and a survival ability which surpasses anything I've ever seen.

Jess was only 15 when she was told she needed a double lung transplant. Almost 4 years later, Jessica is still waiting.

She has managed to survive beyond all expectation and has doubled what doctors predicted when listing her. But not even Jess is superhuman, and I am getting very worried now.

Jess has had a lot of false alarms, where the transplant could not go ahead due to a problem with the organs. Very recently, she got called again....and was too unwell to undergo the operation.

Jess is now back in hospital, and the team are fighting hard to get her well enough to undergo the operation hopefully in time for another call. Jess' time is running out.

As she was in hospital and far too ill to come and support Holly's Donor Day in person, Jess was determined to support her in any other way she could.

Please pass the link on to the below because if this doesn't kick people into action....I don't know what will.


Why support Donor Day?

Just a quickie to say I am still here and fine and hope everyone had a lovely Easter...

Things have been crazy, and I was going to write about it, but a)because I'm lazy and b)because she's done it so well I suggest that you read Holly's account of Donor Day and the days surrounding it.

The whole thing was an incredible success and she did so very very well.

Shall write more in the week. But all is good :)

Holly's big day is on Tuesday.

Am uber-excited for her...and also incredibly nervous. I'll be in London with her and the Battlefront film crew pretty much all of Monday and Tuesday, so please, lovely blog-following-people, if you can spread the word online, it would be vastly appreciated.

Wish us luck!

Could you repost this somewhere? Please help Holly spread the word...

wooaaah, where did the last week go?!

So yes, Mauritius. It was incredible. It's somewhere I have been wanting to go for a very very long time and to be honest I never thought I'd manage to get there. To say it lived up to my expectations would be an understatement.

The last picture incidentally is me doing something called Deep Sea Walking. The space helmet traps air in so you just breathe normally, and there is an oxygen tube coming through the side which keeps you topped up with fresh O2. I opted for this rather than scuba diving as when I had been snorkelling last summer I got very nervous at the sensation of breathing through the snorkell as it reminded me of my trachi. I didn't want to pay for a scuba session and then find I was too scared to go through with it, so this seemed like the perfect option :)

One of the nicest things about coming home was how much I was looking forward to going back to work. It's such a wonderful feeling to want to get back to a job that I love....I'm a very lucky girl.

I am off to do a talk at Harefield tomorrow with Oli; I am quite nervous which is daft, but only because the people who actually physically saved my life by caring for me pre and post transplant (and the surgeon who did my op) will be present so I want it to be good! It's so weird to think that if it wasn't for two people we will never meet, neither Oli nor I would be here now.

And lastly a quick plea: Holly Shaw, a LLTGL Advocate and a very good friend has been going for Gold in her Battlefront campaign. She is holding a Donor day on 7th April and there are lots of ways you can support her in this, wherever you are. To find out more pop over to her website and say hello. Thanks muchly all.

I've been a bit quiet haven't I...

Sorry about that.

Life is hectic. But wonderful :) I am trying to get organised for Christmas (and not succeeding) trying to keep away from colds (and not succeeding) and generally rushing around like a headless chicken (succeeding very well on that one).

Like the pretty widget thing for Holly's Battlefront campaign I've put in my sidebar? You can get one by visiting her page and scrolling down to promote this campaign.

Off to write some Christmas cards. I am I am I am.

Another hectic week has flown by...

But hectic in a really really good way. Lots and lots going on behind the scenes for LLTGL, Holly is feeling much better and mending well so her Battlefront campaign is getting a big kick-start, and work wise one of my Choirs is in a competition just before Christmas, not to mention the fact that of course all schools and choirs have Christmas concerts...

So it's rather manic right now! I was feeling nice and smug and proud that I started my Christmas shopping this week, then I received two Christmas cards in the post - people are so organised they're already sending their Christmas cards?! Erk!

I absolutely adore Christmas; sparkly lights, tinsel, glitter, presents, marzipan, clearly it's one of my favourite times of year! I am however rather scared at how fast it is approaching; this whole year has flown by incredibly quickly.

This is really quite a nothing update just to reassure people that everything is fine, just busy! Hope everyone else is also well and smiley.

Oh and one more thing, a little ask because if you don't ask you don't get...

My friend Jake got his transplant two months ago. All great, all fantastic, big celebration. He's a lovely guy, and his wife Laura equally so. They got married in the Summer so this is their first Christmas together.

Only Jake has had quite a few complications and setbacks. To the extent that he definitely will not be able to go home for Christmas. Not only that but some complications relating to his trachi tube means he will not be able to eat, drink or talk for the next few months until he's strong enough for them to sort it.

When I was ill some friends set up a Transplant Fund for me. Knowing how much of a strain Hospital puts on the family, I have set up a similar one for Jake. If anyone would like to contribute even the tiniest amount of Christmas cheer - please contact me through my website. Huge thank yous in advance.

Please support Holly's campaign

SHE WON!!

Holly won Battlefront!

We're all absolutely thrilled for her; she worked so hard campaigning and totally deserves this. As she still has one v new (and apparently lazy) kidney I am helping out a bit (gulp) but all credit goes to Hols for being a star and shining so bright the judges had no option but to pick her as the best campaigner.

Hols, we're all so proud of you and behind you every step of the way xx

ps - forgot to say (most importantly) YOU can help! Just go to Holly's battlefront page to find out how to promote her campaign on blogger, bebo, facebook, myspace etc...

Thanks muchly x

Channel Four are doing a programme called Battlefront where young campaigners are fighting hard to get their cause featured. 19 have been picked and there is one space left.

LLTGL Advocate Holly Shaw, has had her "Gift of Life" campaign idea accepted! And now it's over to us.

Channel 4 are going to pick the most popular campaign to go through to their final group, with their favourite ones being featured on the Battlefront TV programme.

To vote people have to do is visit the website above and click on "Vote". That's it! No need to register or anything else. So please, for the love of pie, vote, pass this on, spread the word, hassle friends/work colleagues etc. http://battlefront.co.uk/campaign/the-gift-of-life/

Holly has a disadvantage in that she has only just got her campaign on the website and voting ends next week (1st October). So we are asking as many people as possible to put a link up about this on their websites, Myspaces, Facebooks, etc. so we can get this campaign on channel 4.

Really appreciate any help anyone can give - it would be such a shame for Channel four to run this thing without anything about organ donation whatsoever...


http://battlefront.co.uk/campaign/the-gift-of-life/