Catching Up...

Calling All Scrapbookers

Scrap Booking Memories will be donating some of the proceeds of the October Issue of their magazine to Love Your Sister. So if you are into craft, feel free to pick up the Pink Issue from Newsagents, Woollies or Coles from October 4 and 20 cents from every issue sold will be donated to LYS. The Pink Issue will also contain an article about Love Your Sister, so happy reading!

Thanks so much to the ongoing support of Scrapbooking Memories, and a huge thank you goes out to the masters for making such a beautiful and personal gift, all for women they don’t even know!

If you are into scrapping and would like to show your support to a magazine that supports Love Your Sister, please head to their facebook page and chuck them a like, you might just love what you see there!

Never Forgotten

In my last blog post, you saw that Love Your Sister lost two close friends, Moira and Josie, both to breast cancer. On Friday 11^th July I attended Moira Lye’s funeral. Moira herself found that one of the most confronting parts of having terminal breast cancer is attending funerals. Moira and I were both Canberra Mums who have done a lot of advocacy and fundraising around the breast cancer issue. Sam mentioned to me how much he thought we had in common, and the similarities brought it home to me at her funeral. Attending the funeral of someone who has died of the same disease that you are living with is very confronting, not only was I sad for the loss, and sad for her family, but I couldn’t help but think about my own fate, and picture my family and friends, and most of all my little boys in the same situation. We continue to think about Moira and Josie’s families and wish them some peace during this hard time.
Thanks to everyone on our Facebook page for sending thoughts, prayers and condolences to their families and for showing your love. Even people who had never met Moira or Josie were saddened by their passing and it was very touching for Sam and I to see such a show of support, and I am sure it brought some comfort to their families at a difficult time.

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Mornington Secondary College 

Mornington Secondary College is one of the high schools that Sam and I attended while we were growing up, and they have been a huge supporter of Love Your Sister. Their drum corps performed at the launch and return events, when Sam left and returned from his epic ride, adding much pomp and ceremony to both events. The textiles class made huge banners and flags for the events, and they vowed to match Samuel $1 for every kilometre he cycled through fundraising events at their school and in their local community. So while Sam has been pedalling, they have been busy fundraising, and last week, they presented Sam with the grand total at a school assembly held for Love Your Sister.

Through many events, Mornington Secondary College raised a massive $16 491!!!!!! This fundraising has all been driven and co-ordinated by the students themselves and Sam and I couldn’t be happier or more proud. Thanks so much to MSC and to the Mornington community in general who altogether have raised over $51 000 for Love Your Sister since February 2013. Amazing!

Every year Mornington Secondary College holds a Presentation Ball for the Year 11 Students. This year Sam and I were invited along and the debutantes were presented to us! Little ‘ole Sam and Connie eh? I had never been to a deb ball before, as I had never done my deb myself.

There were 54 couples, the boys looking handsome and rather dashing in their suits with tails and white gloves, and the young ladies looked a picture, so beautiful and elegant in their pretty white dresses. Each couple came out onto the stage and were announced, then the partner walked down the stairs and awaited hand out for her, then they walked slowly up to us and while they did, the school captains read out their interests, what they were studying and their future aspirations. I felt honoured that so many of the Students mentioned that Love Your Sister was their favourite charity in their summaries. Then the deb was presented, she did a curtsy, and her partner who bowed. We were so honoured to be in the role, but I’m not sure who was more nervous, them or us. They all did so well, I was so impressed with the rituals and dances and how they performed them.

The whole room was set up with Love Your Sister pink sashes around the chairs, pink chocolates and programs on the tables; the lads all wore Pink neckties and had pink roses in their lapels, the ladies all had pink bouquets. The principal, Sarah Burns, did a beautiful speech about Love Your Sister at the opening of the evening. After I mentioned in my speech that I had never done my deb, the school captains cooked up a little scheme. They arranged to have Sam and I presented at the end of the formal presentations. It was so cute and lovely, and while I was being walked down the dance floor on Sam’s arm to be presented I thought “Tick”. It was never a bucket list item, but the students found a way to give me an experience I would never forget, and now I have formerly presented. What a heart-warming experience.

Then we did a dance, which was absolutely hilarious, ‘cos neither Sam nor I know how to dance, then we swapped partners with some of the debs and their partners, and they danced properly while Sam and I fumbled clumsily around the room laughing awkwardly. It was so much fun. I would never have thought that I would be presented to society, fancy that!

Just before we left we were presented with some lovely gifts, The fabrics class had made me a gorgeous rainbow coloured quilt, and a bag to go with it. I love it, it is so bright and cheery and beautifully designed and crafted. It’s going to be my hospital quilt, because I like having my own blanky and pillow in hospital, it makes it feel less sterile. Thanks to Gene, Georgia and the fabrics class for such a beautiful and personal gift.