It seems to me that the days are going even quicker than last year! It is crazy to think I’ve spent nearly a decade with this wretched illness and in a hospital bed, but things can only get better from now on!
We officially opened our brand new project, ‘Oakley’s Outings’, with our trustee Lorraine, to give seriously ill youngsters a special day out, away from hospitals, nurses and doctors, where they can just be a family. I remember particularly missing being with both my siblings, mum and dad, when I spent many years in hospital without a break. Furthermore, my siblings suffered when they had to be moved from a to b in order for ‘super mum’ and ‘super dad’ to get to the hospital to be by my side. It’s difficult for everybody, so everybody needs a treat. Even if I had been well enough to be granted a ‘wish’ from a charity, I would not have received one because my condition was just too complex.
This is the same story for our Oakley Star, who had the most horrendous time losing all of his skin, hair, and nails to a condition called Steven Johnson Syndrome. Oakley Star had the worse form called TENS, and was giving 65% chance of surviving. The community came together and ‘Oakleyans’ were wishing him well from all over, raising money for him to go on his wish, which was to swim with dolphins, as he had been denied a wish from a charity. Share a Star have supported him from near enough the beginning but sadly there weren’t many other charities that were able to do the same. Once Oakley recovered enough, we were able to join together to make Oakley’s Outings – a dream that Share a Star and Oakley’s family both had – to be able to send seriously ill children on a day out that they will remember forever! Oakley is now my little dude, being so good when the papers and BBC South East news station came to see what Oakley’s Outings is about.
Our first outing happened on Valentine’s Day, when we sent our Katie Star to see Wicked at the London Apollo with her family. Katie was born with her insides on the outside and in the last seventeen years has suffered 32 operations to correct it. She had a wicked time and that is what it is all about! What has been lovely, is Katie has been helping us since her treat and is looking to fundraise for Share a Star at her school. She is simply a superstar! Here’s a quick picture of her enjoying her day:
The rest of Share a Star’s projects have been powering ahead. I have made 10 unique stars and poems in a week for seriously ill youngsters. As much as this means we made another 10 kids into superstars, I just wish there weren’t so many poorly kids. We can’t change that but we can change their journey through it. Making children into the stars that they are, the stars that we look up to, is incredibly rewarding. Something which seems so small but really does wonders. Of course when there is the rarity of having 10 star, we had to play around with some special pictures!
Unfortunately, I’ve had a bit of blip in my own health, meaning I haven’t been able to do as many Superstar Surprises, but don’t worry I shall be back onto that as soon as possible.
See you next time!
Love Jessica xx
Jessica's Journal at Share a Star 