Monkey Tail moustaches! Hair we go!!
Myself and 3 friends will be taking on Movember this year, with the added twist of growing a “monkey tail” moustache.
We see it as the more silly we look, hopefully the more people will sponsor us and donate to our chosen charity.
we are fundraising for the grand appeal, the money goes towards Bristol children’s hospitals. Please read the stories below for an understanding of why we have chosen this charity.
We will be finishing the month with a charity night on Saturday 30th November at the Black Horse in Cherhill. The night starts from 6pm onwards.
We will have live music, a quiz, a raffle and an auction as well.
We welcome anyone to join us and help us raise as much money as possible for this great cause.
Grace’s story
In September 2023, Shaun’s 14 year old daughter, Grace, had a blood test after feeling a little under the weather. Several hours after the blood test they were contacted by Bath hospital as her blood results were of concern.
Within 24 hours Grace had been transferred to Bristol and after numerous tests was diagnosed with Aplastic Anaemia, a rare disease where her bone marrow had failed.
After a number of months relying on blood transfusions and hospital stays Grace was admitted to Bristol for a bone marrow transplant, where she had to remain in isolation with two family members for 3 months.
The grand appeal work tirelessly to provide support to children and their families under the care of Bristol Children’s Hospital.
Graces mum was provided free accommodation through the grand appeal when Grace had to be admitted to ICU in May, this meant she could be across the road and get to the hospital quickly at any point, providing this took away any worry about where to stay.
7 months later, life still has to be taken day by day, and Bristol Hospital remains a huge part of our lives, having had another recent admission and knowing that appointments will be lifelong.
No amount of thank you’s will ever be enough to repay anyone for what they have done, but we hope that fundraising so that others can be supported and benefit how we have will go some way to showing our thanks for the help we have had.
Isla’s story
James’s daughter Isla was born at 24 weeks, weighing 517grams and only 28cm long.
Isla spent her first 13 months in hospital having numerous life saving surgeries, most of this time was spent on the intensive care unit.
Isla’s stay was during Covid, so her caring big sister didn’t meet her until she was 8 months old and that was only because we didn’t want it to be the only time they met!
Her grandparents came to see her days before her first birthday due to a special arrangement made by the hospital.
Due to the family not being able to visit Isla on a regular basis, the nurses and Doctors at the hospital became family.
This became more true when, unfortunately, she ended up back in intensive care after just five weeks of being home for the first time.
Isla suffered a huge cardiac arrest and has life-changing symptoms due to this!
When we first went back into the unit it felt like a weird sense of “Home” and we took comfort in we knew they would do everything in their power to save Isla.
Isla spent a further three months in the hospital before coming home on ventilation machines/oxygen and emergency rescue medicines.
We don’t know what the future holds for Isla, but because of the amazing work the hospital does, Isla has a future!