Trevor Sorbie Charity - My New Hair

I still have my hair. And I am really pleased and relieved. Right now it is one less thing to have to deal with. There is no guarantee it will stay the course of this round of treatment. And sadly at some point in the future it may actually go.

Despite some pretty aggressive chemotherapy treatments I am still yet to be bald. And for this I am so grateful. I have endured the extreme discomfort of several cold caps. Not right now, but I have previously experienced the sadness and pain of clumps of the stuff coming out in the shower and it being pretty thin. People always said they couldn't notice. I always half took this as an insult. Blatantly my hair looked pretty dry, thin and awful. And I liked to think it wouldn't normally look like that. But I know they were just trying to be kind. The other classic line is "you know it doesn't bother us if you loose your hair." To which I have responded: "Don't you get it? This isn't about you. It bothers ME!"

Since the Anna Valentine fashion show I have exchanged a few emails with Janet Ellis. She is so lovely. She was trying to get in touch with Trevor Sorbie himself to cut my wig for me, should it be needed. She has just got back in touch with me. Trevor Sorbie has just set up a charity called "My New Hair." It is a dedicated wig cutting service for cancer patients.

I think this is just totally fantastic. One of the most important things to make a wig look realistic is the cut, and that it is cut for you. I cannot tell you the stress I have considered of having to go into a local hairdressers where they are not used to having to deal with this stuff. To have to explain what is going on. To get that pitiful look. And then quite possibly be turned away because the hairdressers are not trained in this area.

The link the website is below. It looks like they are fairly new. But I for one will be visiting the salon in Percy Street as soon as it is needed.

I guess to an outsider it could possibly seem as though relative to everything else cancer patients go through - and the severity - then loosing your hair is not that bigger deal. From my point of view it is like another twist of an already very painful knife. Prisoners have their heads shaved. It is yet another thing that is personal and part of who you are, that is taken away from you. A bad hair day times a million. And such an outward sign that you carry the label of cancer. And a bad wig is a little consolation.

I think it is truly wonderful that Trevor Sorbie has recognised this as such an important area to helping someone who has cancer to be able to LIVE. To step outside the front door and not feel like you have a big "C" on your head. But rather an individual who is as entitled to a decent haircut as anyone else. I for one will be making a donation to support his charity.

http://www.mynewhair.org/Home.aspx

The handbag Camilla held when she shook my hand

Oh yes it is in the press. Check out this article:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1250408/Camilla-arrives-charity-fashion-class-handbag.html

What a night (and Meeting HRH)

Wow. What a night. Cannot believe it. Cannot believe the course of the week. For days I am firmly in chemo land, literally unable to move at times, and then last night I was in a different place.

Ah. Where to start.

The Event. The Anna Valentine Fashion Show in aid of Maggies Cancer Centres. Anna Valentine is an amazing designer who famously dressed HRH The Duchess of Cornwall for her wedding to Prince Charles.

The location. The Royal Courts of Justice, London. LOVE places like this. LOVE this about London. They are so old and so magnificent. Incredible building.

Why am I there? My lovely friend Lucy is an old friend of Anna Valentines. She has been on the committee for organising this event for months. I have been invited to attend like lots of her other friends and committed to go ages ago.

Obviously this week has been so hard it had been very doubtful at times whether I would be able to make it. But I did. And yesterday lunchtime Lucy tells me it is good I am coming because I am her plus one as one of the very specially selected people to meet and greet HRH The Duchess of Cornwall (yes Camilla) herself at the evening. What?!! I know. I know.

So we arrive. I feel like a different person in heels and my black dress. I loose a false nail before we even get to the venue but hope no one will notice. The place looks amazing. There is much re event stress going on - the amount of organisation that has gone into this is incredible.

We head to the drinks reception. I have a glass of champagne. The girl who could only manage ice cubes two days earlier is sipping a glass of fizz and has an enormous smile on her face. All the food is prepared my famous chef Tom Aitken. I like the canapes but don't have many as am too scared it may all ooze down my front before I meet HRH.

We are told that at 7.10 to stand in a particular spot and HRH will come and meet us. It is really crazy busy in there so we are moved to a slightly quieter area. The Hello! photographers are told to make sure they get pictures of us talking to Camilla. Loads of people are now looking at us like we are VIPs ourselves because we are clearly next to meet her.

We have practiced our curtsy's. Apparently the official line we are to say is "It is very nice to meet you your Royal Highness." We are both giggling and think we are going to totally mess that entire thing up. As I am stood there about to meet her I say to Lucy "This is so nuts. I haven't even told my neighbours I have cancer, and now I think I am about to tell the wife of the heir to the throne!"

Camilla is brought over to us. We are introduced. We do some attempt at our curtsy and our line. But Camilla is really down to earth and isn't waiting for us to make sure we do it all right. We talk for probably about 5 minutes or so before she is moved on. We talk about Maggies. We talk about Anna Valentine. We say I have not been well all week and how pleased we are I made it. Camilla smiles and looks at the glass of champagne in my hand and tells me how good it is I am having a glass of that. During that time there are official photographers taking photo's of the moment. And then she is moved on.

And then we move on to talk to..... Rupert Everett and Janet Ellis. Rupert Everett has enormous nostrils. Seriously gigantic. Lucy tries all the shots to get him to laugh at her jokes. I think he must have been nervous about his speech. I get chatting to Janet Ellis. She is SO lovely. It is like a happy childhood moment talking to the Blue Peter presenter of my youth. We talk about her kids. We talk about Maggies. We talk about my week. She is so surprised because last night I looked really well. We start talking about hair and wigs. She knows this amazing wig cutter who apparently will restyle my beautiful Parisian real hair wig for me and make it even better. She says to make sure I give her my phone number during the evening. I feel like she is my new friend!

We then head down for the Event itself. Janet's speech is fabulous. It doesn't make me upset at all. I just agree with every word. Then the show starts.

The models all stick their hips forward and slouch back as they walk. The clothes are beautiful. Truly stunning. Wish I had some of them. The fabrics just float and hang in a way that oozes chic and quality and style.

Then we have some more Tom Aitken food and, yes, I have another glass of champagne. It's the real stuff and tastes fantastic. There is an auction for prizes as well as a silent auction for loads of stuff people have donated. The biggest single amount raised I think was £22,000 for a 2 week holiday in the Seychelles. Sadie Frosts boyfriends band play. We have much debate because no one can remember his name. Scott something. I have no photo's as we were not allowed to take cameras to the evening. But am so hoping to be able to get some of the official ones that the Hello! photographer took. I think I should be able to and then will scan some in and post them.

It gets to nearly 10 and my body starts to give in. I start to feel I am struggling a little to sit in the chair. The event officially ends at 10.30 so decide I must go. I exchange smiles with Lulu Guinness. In true Jo style I have lost my coat tag so cause problems at the cloakroom looking for a black size 8 Karen Millen Coat..... but it is found.

I squeeze my lovely friend Lucy unable to say words of what a fairy tale night it has been. Dare I say it, the sweet is sweeter, given the days before. I step out onto the Strand, get straight into a black cab and am home in bed about half an hour.

As my head touches the pillow I smile. And am grateful for this night. The philosophy of Maggies is not to allow the fear of dying to stop the joy of living. And tonight I had joy living.

http://www.maggiescentres.org/maggies/maggiescentres/home/home.html

Don't forget Haiti

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYV-qdL_7jw

Haiti Earthquake

I sat this evening on my sofa, nice and toasty under my blanket (and sheep) in my nice warm home, watching the early evening news. I am ashamed to say it is the first time I have really watched properly the events of the earthquake in Haiti and the impact on the people there. They were reporting that 50, 000 people have been killed, and double that are injured. There are no hospital supplies, no blankets, no food. The most upsetting image I watched was of a man whose daughter lay dead in the street covered in a white sheet "with the garbage." "I'm not just going to leave her here," her father wept.

A friend of mine works for Tearfund, who are one of the charities despatching emergency aid to the survivors in the literally broken land.

Here is the link, if you have been moved by this, and are feeling helpless as to what to do:

https://www.tearfund.org/Giving/Give+Now/Haiti+earthquake.htm

Thank you and my Christmas Wish

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

To all who donated me shoes, books, clothes, dvds, bags etc etc for my ebay project. I have just donated £500 to Breast Cancer Campaign on-line. Together with the £120 I raised from the pub quiz's and and additional £14o of gift aid, that brings the total to £760. All this money will go straight into targeted research towards finding that longed for cure for this horrid disease.

It has been a good year for raising money towards funding Breast Cancer research. In May I walked 16 miles as part of the Pink Power Walk in my local area and raised £1,020 for Breakthrough Breast Cancer. With gift aid that brings that to over £1,250.

Those who know me well, know I spent a long time in fear of fundraising for Breast Cancer charities. I didn't want the association. I just longed, and still do, to be free of it. But doing this "bit" has helped me to feel supported. And I am contributing towards the hope of a future that, one day, our world will be free of Breast Cancer.

But for now, this is where I am. And with your support, sore legs from my walk in May, and many many trips to the post office....I have raised over £2,000.

Whilst this is good, it is a drop in the ocean as far as amounts that are needed to keep funding targeted research.

And so. My Christmas wish is:

Click on the link below and donate what you can. Even if it is only a fiver. As Mother Theresa once said:

"It may only be a drop in the ocean, but the ocean is made up of lots of drops."

http://www.breastcancercampaign.org/donations/

Thank you again. And my second wish is that you have a very Merry Christmas.

Pub Quiz Winners at The Plough

Last night our local pub The Plough re-launched its quiz night. They used to run quiz nights before they closed this pub for about a year for refurbishment. It's always looked rather empty since it re-opened to be honest, mainly because they came back with a rather posh and expensive menu, which I think annoyed quite a lot of locals. In the meantime it's competitor, The Victoria, has come under new ownership and done pretty well as a gastro pub.

But last night they got it right. The place was packed with quiz teams. Food was right on cue and delicious - beef and mash for a fiver - and a quid to enter the quiz. Our team - "Quiz Akabusi" - Gen and I (main role scribes, ahem) and Adam, Jonny and David (the brains) thought we wouldn't have a hope but it would be a fun night.

But, despite not even getting a mention in the "league" in between rounds, we were totally stunned to be announced we were the winners! The prize was a cheque written out to a charity of the winning teams choice from all the proceeds from those who entered the quiz. So, we got a £60 cheque towards my £500 Christmas target for Breast Cancer Campaign. We also got a voucher for a free round of drinks.

We must go down in history as the only quiz team to question that we don't think we could have actually won - we got 5 out of 15 on one round. But apparently we stormed it on the films sheet that was on our table and we were, indeed, victorious.

Well done to The Plough for filling your pub on a Monday night at last, and well done to our team for a fun night and a bonus cheque towards my Charity target. The JC's came home with smiles on their faces.

ebay charity project

I have been selling clothes in ebay the past couple of months in aid of Breast Cancer Campaign. I am hoping to reach my target of £500 and then send this total amount to them by Christmas this year.

This began in August when I had a clear out of my clothes in my cupboards and thought rather than give them all to the local charity shop, I would like to give the money for them to a charity that is close to my heart. I also thought that by getting people to bid for them I would hopefully raise more money for them. This was a bit of a random thought as I have never sold anything on ebay prior to this. I have had my moments of "what an earth am I doing?" Especially when I have to go to the post office with lots and lots of packages, but so far the total raised had made this worthwhile.

Thanks for the latest donations of items I have had - I am posting on my blog as a reminder that I need to list them and get on with some more selling this month. Also as an incentive to reach my target. Any unsold items, or items I don't think will sell, I will donate to the local Cancer Research or Princess Alice Hospice charity shops. You'd be surprised the stuff that people will buy!

I have chosen to raise money for Breast Cancer Campaign for perhaps obvious reasons, but mainly because they are totally committed to all funds going towards researching the longed for cure for this disease that affects so many.

You can read more about the charity here:

http://www.breastcancercampaign.org/

Will be updating my gadget on the right of the screen over the next couple of months. Jo get ebaying!