Avril Devaney
Jim and Avrils' Page
Fundraising for Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust Charitable Funds
Story
James (Jamie) Devaney Memorial Fund.
SEPTEMBER 2013 UPDATE
We are pleased to announce that the new charity, Jamies Fund, is now registered and we are formally launching it on 28th September from 11am to 4pm with an abseil down Halkyn Church Tower. Please see our new website for more information. www.jamiesfund.org.uk
The plans for the new ward have become more ambitious and we are now planning a much bigger building with separate areas for men, women, children and for people needing psychiatric intensive care.
We continue to be comforted and encouraged by your kindness and support. It means a great deal to us. We are also grateful for all donations large and small. Thanks especially to Jamie's cousin, Bobby, who raised money by having his head shaved in July. Thanks also to Ian and Angus Davidson who have run across most of Northern England and Ireland for Jamie and to Gabi Husband who has walked over 200 miles across Spain.
If you are planning to raise money for Jamies Fund please let us know via the new website. We will support you in any way we can.
APRIL 2013 UPDATE
The new charity and website are taking a little longer than we expected to set up. We're now hoping to launch in June.
We are very grateful for the support we continue to receive and donations large and small.
On 20th April the Halkyn Mountain Parishes Youth Group 'Biscuits' are holding an evening of entertainment at Rhosesmor Village Hall.
May 12th is the Chester Half Marathon, 'Team Jamie' this year will include Jamie's Mum and Dad, Uncle Mark and Uncle Dev, Cousin Christine, CWP's Chief Exec, Sheena, new Finance Director Tim, Dr Jan and friend Sue Hooton.
Wirral Drug Service are holding 'The Great Jamie Bake Off' at the end of May.
Best wishes to all fundraisers. Please let us know if you are planning an event. We will support you in any way we can.
FEBRUARY 2013 UPDATE
Drs Maureen and Ewan Wilkinson will be visiting Kisiizi in March to coninue work on the ward design and build on our link.
We are hoping that we will have the new charity in Jamie's memory and the new website up and running by the end of March. There will be events to launch the new charity, please watch this space for further updates.
Thank you for you continued support, it means a great deal to us.
OCTOBER 2012 UPDATE
Design work on the new ward continues and we are hoping that building work for the first phase will begin before the end of this year.
We are setting up an independent charity in Jamie's name so that we can continue to improve facilities for people with mental health needs in Uganda once the initial building work is complete. Please watch this space for more information.
Thanks for your continued interest, help and support and all donations large and small.
We're particularly grateful to our friends Joyce and Malcolm, who raised over £1,600 at recent celebrations for their ruby wedding anniversary.
Thanks also to Jamie's Uncle Mark who ran the Chester Marathon for Jamie in a time of 3hrs 45 mins..... a new Devaney record.
Good luck to Jamie's cousin, Kirsty who is running in the Birmingham half marathon for Jamie on October 21st.
JULY 2012 UPDATE
As we pass our target, we want to say an enormous thank you to everyone who has contributed in memory of Jamie in so many ways over the past eleven months. We have been greatly encouraged, not only by seeing the fund grow, but even more by all your messages of support, which have helped us as we have lived out each day. We know that reaching this total will not bring Jamie back, but we’re certain that many, many people will now be helped through him.
We have reached the £30,000 but Jamie’s life continues to touch others in such an extraordinary way that we believe this is only the beginning of something much bigger. We are in the early stages of planning to bring help to even more people, so please keep your support coming and watch this space for more news.
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For the June 2012 update, please click on 'read more of my story' below
We are the proud parents of Jamie Devaney, who was born on 27 February 2007.
Avril (Jamie’s mum) is the Director Of Nursing at Cheshire And Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (CWP) and as part of her job, is lead for a project to establish a link with the mental health ward at Kisiizi Hospital, Uganda. Following a scoping visit in July 2010 it was agreed with staff at Kisiizi that a vehicle would enable the mental health team to improve care by developing community based services. In response to this a challenging bike ride was organised by supporters of the link for July 2011 from Kampala to Kisiizi Hospital to raise money for the vehicle. Jim (Jamie’s dad) was one of the cyclists and Jamie travelled by car to Kisiizi Hospital with his mum to wait for his dad to arrive. Soon after arriving at Kisiizi, however, Jamie fell ill. We believe that he had picked up an infection either in England before he left, or soon after he arrived in Uganda. He was exceptionally well cared for at Kisiizi Hospital. As he became more seriously ill, he was taken by air ambulance to Gertrude’s Children’s Hospital in Nairobi, Kenya.
Although Jamie received excellent care the impact of the toxins on his body was overwhelming and he died peacefully in intensive care at Gertrude’s Children’s Hospital on July 25 2011, twelve days after becoming ill. He was only four years old but during those four years Jamie brought immense joy and pleasure to his family, and everyone else who was fortunate enough to know him.
Jamie had a lovely sense of humour, way beyond his four years, and a cheeky, endearing smile. He was exceptionally kind and gentle with everybody. His curiosity knew no bounds and he relished life and was looking forward to seeing more of what Africa held, including the lions, elephants and hippos.
As his parents we know Jamie was perfect and we will always be glad we have such wonderful and precious memories of our time together as a family.
Jamie’s short life has touched so many people in the UK, Kenya, Uganda and beyond. We are keen to ensure that his life continues to benefit others. We have therefore set up a Memorial Fund through CWP Charitable Funds. All donations will be used in discussion with the staff at Kisiizi Hospital to develop mental health services there. We intend to fund a new mental health ward at the hospital. This will form the foundation for the essential development work needed in mental health care at Kisiizi.
As Jan, a CWP staff member said, ‘Jamie’s legacy is the unity between Kisiizi and ourselves. Let him stand for this and his spirit live on forever’
We will ensure the money is used well to help people in the community of Kisiizi Hospital in southwest Uganda.
Latest Updates
June 2012: Thanks to the 'For Jamie' team for running, with such determination, the Chester half marathon. We raised over £4,000. Thanks also to Jane White who asked friends and relatives to donate to Jamie's fund instead of giving her birthday gifts for her 40th Birthday. Jane was part of the team that travelled to Kisiizi in February 2012 and she knows first hand what a massive difference the new ward will make to the people of kisiizi. Good luck to Jamie's Aunty Yo Yo, cousin Bobby and friend Anna who are preparing to run 16 miles from Halkyn Church to Chester for Jamie on 28th July 2012.
Work continues with staff at Kisiizi on the design of the new ward.
April 2012: Training is well underway for the Chester half marathon which is on 13th May 2012. The 'For Jamie' team is Jamie's mum, his cousins Christine and Rachael, his Uncle Dev and Auntie Karen and - from CWP- Sheena (Chief Exec), Ros (Director Of Finance) and Drs Ian D and Stefan J.
Good luck to all, particularly Karen, Christine and Ros who are running their very first half marathon.
Please let Jim and Avril know if you are planning a fundraising event. We’d be happy to attend and support you in whatever way we can.
MARCH 2012: A team of staff from CWP travelled to Kisiizi in February to work along side the mental health team at the hospital. This has strengthened our link and during this visit a site for the new mental health ward that will be built in Jamie’s memory was agreed. We are now beginning work on designing the new ward.
We are very grateful for your continued interest and support.
- Thanks to James Shuttleworth who combined his Flat warming with an art sale to raise £170 for Jamie’s fund
- Congratulations to Jamie’s cousin, Rachael who completed the Liverpool half marathon for Jamie in 2hrs 4 mins on Sun 18 March 2012
- Thanks to Jamie’s Auntie Ann and our friend Helen who are undertaking sponsored slims for Jamie
- Thanks to Jamie’s Uncle Dave and friend Derek who raffled a prize of a day in a formula Jaguar at Bedford Aerodrome in memory of Jamie
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November 2011; We are pleased to report that 17 year old Alec Shuttleworth completed his Chester to London cycling challenge to raise money for Jamie's fund.
Alec's report: On Saturday 22nd October I started my 233 mile adventure with optimism and excitement. This remained until 4 miles out of Chester when the towpath became lumpy grass and the headwind got the better of us. We reached Birmingham on the second day and swapped support team, ie parents, before pedaling on to London. However, to complicate matters, we had to ride through the puncture trap that is Milton Keynes, replace 2 tyres, 3 inner tubes, one carrier, and retrieve the pannier bag which had bounced into the canal with Dad's clothes. We made it to London on Thursday, and were treated to a tour of Parliament and a meal on the South Bank, before returning on the train. I am thankful to all the people on the way who put us up for the night, and also to everyone who sponsored me. I am hoping to add over £700 to Jamie's Fund.
October 2011; We are pleased to report that on Sunday, 9 October, Jim and his brothers Dev and Mark successfully completed the 26 miles 265 yards of the Chester Marathon in Jamie’s memory. It was a tough day with lots of emotion but definitely well worth doing for Jamie. We’d like to thank everyone who overtook Jim, touched the photograph of Jamie on his back and gave words of encouragement. The three very sore Devaney brothers would like to thank everyone who encouraged them in their training, cheered them on the day of the run and above all supported them with generous donations, large and small.
If you would like to read the address given at the celebration of Jamie's life, please click on the link below
Thank you for your generous support
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