Thank you to University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay Trust for blessing us with the 2016 Fundraiser Of The Year Award! It is an absolute honour to accept this award on behalf of everyone who had supported and helped us in any way to continue our much needed work. Without our volunteers and fundraisers we wouldn't be able to keep up with the demand for our services, so we are beyond grateful for all your kind and generous support.
I want to share, for all the bereaved parents who can't imagine they will ever feel real, authentic joy and happiness ever again - you will - one day, when you least expect it, something will trigger it, as receiving this award did for me. It took me a while to realise why what I was feeling felt so hugely significant, it was because I hadn't felt like this since before Lily died, and I had accepted that I may never feel real joy ever again. Experiencing such profound loss does this, makes you believe you will never be truly happy again. So it took me by surprise, to realise that this unfamiliar, strangely powerful emotion I was feeling was in fact pure joy and happiness, it stayed with me briefly, I wanted to cling to that feeling, but it passed. But now I know it is possible, to feel deep, authentic, pure, joy again after loss. Little by little, as we heal, tiny sparks of joy will return. Part of me will always grieve for my child, but now I know it is possible for grief and joy to coexist.
Some pictures of the UHMBT Fundraiser of the Year Award, such a joyous validation of all OUR hard work - huge thanks to everyone who has supported Tigerlily Trust and helped us to attain this award. My parents accepted it on our behalf on the evening and then presented it to me, and some beautiful congratulatory flowers given to me by one of our brave parents a few days later. This award represents HOPE... hope for the future of Tigerlily Trust, hope for all parents who are hurting, and hope for mending our broken hearts H.O.P.E. = Hold. On. Pain. Ends.
Love and light, Val x x x