Nursing care at home for local children with life-threatening or SPRING | 2015 Newsletter terminal illnesses and support for their families Trekking the Te Araroa Trail for Snowdrop As I write this I'm sitting in the kitchen Whenever I tell other hikers or people So why spend the best part of six of a campsite in Twizel, a small town here who are familiar with the Te Araroa months putting myself through this? near the centre of the South Island in that this is my first ever hike it always Well, despite the difficulties I've pretty New Zealand. Yesterday fellow hiker illicits the same response - which much loved almost every minute of it. Rob and myself walked 40 kilometres is to look at me like I'm crazy. It's However, my main motivation, since the an incredibly physical and mentally early stages of planning this adventure (25 miles) in the hot sun around Lake demanding trail has been to raise Pukaki with its glorious sky-blue water and is, without money for The reflecting the majestic snow covered doubt, the hardest Quinn was a lively little Sussex Snowdrop peak of Mount Cook, the highest challenge I've ever “ Trust. mountain in New Zealand. I've been undertaken. I've guy who loved to kick It is almost 5 years suffered many walking the Te Araroa now for almost a football around, he ago since my blisters, aching four and a half months and the stunning nephew, Quinn feet, back pain, enjoyed watching ‘Antz’, vistas and beautiful, varied Mills, passed knee pain, shoulder landscapes continue to away after being pain, wasp stings, pointing at birds in the diagnosed at the amaze me. mosquito and sky or saying “hello” to age of 11 months sandfly bites. with a rare type of I've had mice passing dogs and was (rhabdoid) kidney crawl over me cancer. Quinn in the middle of always smiling was a lively little the night and had ” guy who loved to kick a football around, a rat get into my backpack and eat my he enjoyed watching 'Antz', pointing porridge. I've waded through rivers and at birds in the sky or saying ‘hello’ to mud, had shocks from electric fences, passing dogs and was always smiling. climbed mountains in the pouring rain (leaving me with wet clothes the next day) Continues on page 2 In this Issue and fallen or slipped over countless times. Issey’s Journey - Page 2 • A Windfall for Snowdrop - Page 6 • Our first Patrons announced - Page 7 Issey's Journey Little Issey Riley has been undergoing They thought she had vertigo, but sadly treatment for an aggressive type of brain once she had had a MRI scan, the tumour for 18 months and she has just tumour was evident. An operation to been given the all clear. remove the tumour was performed at the Southampton Hospital and was followed Isseys parents had no idea that her by life-saving chemo and radiotherapy condition was so serious , she was just, treatments. as she said her poem – feeling dizzy. Issey Gets Dizzy He bravely endured six months of treatment undergoing, surgery, There once was a girl called Issey chemotherapy and radiotherapy before Who often got very dizzy he died. I miss my little nephew and wish, more than anything, that he was still with us. They found she had a tumour on her brain Which often caused her lots of pain But alongside the tumour Issey got lots of fame Which made her happy and back in the game again By Issey The Sussex Snowdrop Trust were an invaluable help to Quinn and our family Chi Students during the difficult last months of his life. Snowdrop nurses visited several times a day, administered drugs to Quinn and & Snow White also very sensitively provided practical and emotional support for our family. Thankfully there wasn't a poison apple We will always be grateful for the help of in sight as guests tucked into a delicious this amazing charity. meal at the Chichester College Restaurant With about a month left of this journey I cooked by chefs and trainees keen to still have many exciting mountain ranges hone their culinary skills. to climb, forests to explore and rivers to Massoma Ali and her fellow student cross, after which I'm very much looking Corrine, created an intimate and friendly forward to returning home to see my atmosphere - and all in aid of our family and friends and to share some of Snowdrop children. the stories of this fantastic experience. I also hope that the money raised will Central to the themed evening was help Snowdrop to continue their brilliant a magnificent painting of Snowdrop work in providing support and nursing White which was auctioned to raise care for children with life-threatening and extra funds. terminal illness. We are waiting to hear from Massoma Joss Smales the final count but we want to thank her and everyone involved for their efforts - every penny counts. 02 Stay up-to-date with stories and fundraising /snowdroptrust @SnowdropTrust Snowdrop nurses helped Issey and her family throughout the following year, which saved many visits to hospital and today she is looking forward to her hair growing and growing and eventually she hopes it will reach her bottom! Issey received the Bravery Award at the Spirit FM Heroes ceremony last year and she loved every minute of it. Procession of Princesses At 9 a.m. on a misty and cold Saturday morning outside Chichester Cathedral, 135 princesses turned up in an attempt to break the world record for a gathering of princesses. Although the world record wasn't broken everyone was very happy and the princesses paraded from the Cathedral green to the County Hall car park in West Street where they were greeted by an Elsa lookalike from the very popular film ‘Frozen’. Two to 40 year olds who love being dressed up, skipped and twirled in their pretty dresses. A few brave fathers looked very glamorous in their frocks too. The tiaras, wigs and boots added to the special look! Thank you to Chris Allwood for organising the event and also to Dawn at Salon du Chocolat for donating 170 large white chocolate snowflakes which she made especially for the Princesses. th Date for your Diary • Snowdrop Arundel Charity Walk - Sunday 10 May 03 Thank you! The Charity Ball Many donations are received throughout the year from our Putting on loyal supporters. Here is just a selection of those who have helped Snowdrop in recent months. the Glitz INDIVIDUAL/ORGANISATION DONATIONS Snowdrop and the Hilton Community Foundation Liz Watson (Cream Teas) £212.00 Annual Charity Ball was once again a fantastic success, Waitrose (Green Tokens) Chichester £329.00 raising over £14,000 which was shared by the two charities. Witterings & District Bowls Club £116.80 Crablands Bowling Club Selsey £24.58 Men with black ties and ladies in sequins and jewels, Chris Withall (Knitted Chicks) £291.68 danced the night away to the best band we have Prince of Wales Pub – Bognor (Tin) £24.91 ever had and a great time was had by all. The raffle, Jewels Stables – Charity Day £106.56 auction and table games all helped to raise money for Littlehampton Freewheelers £217.80 the charities and we so grateful to the many generous Norfolk Gardens (Fred Strong) £70.28 supporters who gave auction and raffle prizes. Ladies Bowls League Presentation £350.00 Yorkshire Building Society £100.00 White Stuff Foundation £694.57 Walberton & Binsted School £94.64 Friends of Sussex Hospices £1800.35 Charity Week At Arundel Players (24hr Musical) £600.00 Midhurst Lions £500.00 Companions of Selsey Chapter £100.00 Bishop Luffa School Bognor Regis Lions Club £500.00 Martlets Bridge Club £200.00 Our great friends and supporters at School Reporters had to finish their West Wittering Horticultural Society £206.05 stories by a 14:00 GMT deadline - and Chantry House Oak £146.00 Bishop Luffa school in Chichester have Palmers Brewery £500.00 done us proud!! get them online by 16:00. Aspects Beauty (Fun Day) £525.00 We can't begin to say what their There was a buzz throughout the Chichester Cathedral £500.00 school as this deadline crept up! Tanbridge House School £885.05 support means to us here at Snowdrop. East Wittering Church £109.06 To have Bishop Luffa, one of the most You can find reports from Bishop Luffa Hennings Wines £256.31 respected, local schools supporting us School here in Chichester who were VRC Fellowship – East Wittering £40.00 again is fantastic. taking part in this year's BBC School St Phillip Howard School Fund £676.63 St Marys R/C Bognor Regis School Fund £200.00 March saw Charity week in schools and Report at www.bishopluffa.org.uk/bbc- St Richards R/C School Chichester £330.10 for the first time Bishop Luffa was one school-report/ St Philips Catholic Primary School Arundel £1085.00 of the 1,000 schools who took part in The Rotary Club of Littlehampton £1000.00 the ninth annual BBC School Report Pagham Parish Council £100.00 News Day. Arundel Gardens Association £50.00 Chichester Uni – Student Concert £147.90 After one of the many filmed interviews, The Inglenook, Pagham £126.08 during which students asked very Mr & Mrs Woodward £20.00 thoughtful questions about Snowdrop, 3rd Chichester Guide Account £76.00 the children we help and what funds West Sussex Travel Society Charity £1000.00 Walberton School – Nativity Play £173.40 raised during the week will be spent Chichester Camera Club £220.00 on, a student remarked that he hadn't Mundham House School Cake Sale £469.24 realised the depth of help the charity Stage Door Theatre Co.