Story
A number of us from the SUS and CFH at NHS are putting together a charity day (as private individuals) on 2nd October 2009. The day will be a Golf Day at Oulton Hall near Leeds and I wondered if you and some of your colleagues/friends would be interested in supporting this?
Here is the background
Attached is the letter sent to us by Alice, she is a young lady and her mother who myself and a colleague met whilst having lunch in Leeds a few weeks ago. We discovered she had a very serious form of diabetes. On leaving we simply asked for their bill and paid for their lunch (without them knowing) and the letter attached was sent to the restaurant and forward to us.
Rays of Sunshine granted her and she would like to help other childrens wishes be granted. We as private individuals (not NHS or CFH) have organised a golf day to raise money for her charity to help realise her wish and we are looking for companies and individuals to sponsor one of the 18 holes for the day at a minimum cost of £100 or simply make a donation to the charity, whatever the amount. If any company or individual wants to offer more than that’s fine…..
Also, we will be holding an auction in the evening and any donations for the auction will be much appreciated.
You are of course welcome to join us for the day!!
It would be very much appreciated if you could give this some support or even some participation.
Alice's letter
14/7/09
Dear the 2 lovely gentlemen
Sorry it has taken me so long to thank you for your kind generosity, you would think I have a lot of time on my hands whilst I’m in hospital! My family and I and 2 nurses have just got back from an overnight stay in London, due to me being ill and being in hospital for 2 ½ years. I was lucky to be granted a wish by the charity “Rays of Sunshine” . My wish was to go to London and see “The Lion King” it was amazing. “Rays of Sunshine” organised it all, what we would be doing, where we would be staying and all expenses. We all had a fantastic time and it was lovely to get away from my hospital bed for the night, it gave me something to look forward to when I felt at my worst and has now given my family and I some very happy memories to keep. I am now looking forward to raising money for “Rays of Sunshine” to thank them and to help other seriously and terminally ill children have a special wish to remember.
It was such a shock when we asked for the bill that day to be told it had already been paid for, we can’t thank you enough for being so kind, it made 2 ladies very happy. Whilst we have been in Leeds over the past 2 ½ years, people have just stared rather than asking me what is the matter so I appreciate you asking! Thank you. I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in June 2006 and within months it became apparent that something wasn’t right. The medics said “don’t let it rule your life” but it clearly was. Diabetes was definitely ruling me, not the other way around and what I thought was a simple chronic condition had suddenly changed my way of life completely. I spent months in and out of my local hospital, being unconscious due to low blood sugar seizures and on the other scale, blood sugars in the high 30s and my body ketotic.
As a result a hospital was becoming my home and normal everyday living like socialising with friends came to a sudden halt. I was transferred to the Leeds General Infirmary in (the) hope some answers would be found. Moving away from comforts and the company of friends and family was difficult and upsetting but I knew it was for the best! A number of blood tests were taken and my blood was sent global. Eventually we had some results, a high insulin level and insulin antibodies were present, this is why I was having so many problems. It was a complete guessing game and a lot of sleepless nights for my consultant. I was unique! My body was fighting the insulin I required to keep me alive and although I needed it, it was in fact making my condition worse! My hypos were becoming more severe and I spent a large amount of time connected to and intravenous infusion.
A series of plasma exchanged became the answer to get rid of my insulin antibodies, removing all plasma cells and replacing them with artificial healthy ones. But unfortunately it was not the long term answer; although my antibodies disappeared during the plasma exchanges they very quickly returned attaching my body. Any insulin subcutaneously was saturated by the antibodies and stored them releasing large amounts of insulin into my bloodstream, causing my blood sugars to plummet. I was back to the beginning again, lying unconscious on a hospital bed with blood sugars all over the place. Another way of removing my antibodies needed to be found and they needed to stay away for good.
Everything was a risk and a guessing game, there wasn’t anyone out there with a similar problem and that was the difficult part, an intravenous drug was found which would remove all my antibodies and would restart my immune system completely. Although the drug removed my antibodies, I am still suffering from fluctuations in blood sugars, but luckily not as severe. I am attached to intravenous insulin infusion at all times and the rate is altered depending on my blood sugar that is taken hourly!
Every hurdle I have faced, I always try to keep a smile on my face and keep positive and hope in time things will improve. Spending 2 ½ years in hospital makes you realise there is always someone out there worse off than yourself!!
Thank you!
Love Alice Halstead.
XXX