10 for 10

Ten years ago I took ill. It wasn’t the usual sort of illness where you lie in bed for a few days and then you get better and go back to normal life. It’s a miracle I am alive - very happy about this! :) - but my life changed completely. I went from being possibly the most sporty, outgoing teenager to being stuck in a hospital bed for long periods of time. I just had to smile and get on with it, but I really missed being with my friends and having fun doing normal everyday things.

While in hospital, one of the specialist nurses told us about a camp called ‘Over the Wall’ for seriously ill children and their siblings. This camp sounded amazing. And it was! ‘Over the Wall’ is part of the SeriousFun network, started by the late actor Paul Newman, who in his own words, wanted sick kids to be able to ‘kick back and raise a little hell’. Camp is free for all children and relies on volunteers (including many doctors and nurses). It is a place where children suffering from serious illnesses, and their siblings, can go and just have fun and be like any other kid. When I first went I was a bit nervous as I hadn’t been away from my Mum and Dad, or the hospital staff for more than 2 years. But I was only nervous for about 2 minutes because I was soon having so much fun I forgot to worry about things. At camp I was normal again (well, reasonably because who wants to be too normal!) At camp nobody noticed my tube. At camp I was able to be myself again. I made friends who will always be my friends. And I had the time of my life singing silly songs, taking part in talent shows, horse riding, climbing, being generally mad, and really just having the most fun ever! No words can describe how special camp is. It made me feel sort of lucky to have an illness and be able to experience something like this.

Camp is quite simply magic. It is a magical place, and the magic doesn't just stay at camp. It comes home with you and with your siblings, who also have the time of their lives at their own camp. It makes you feel like you can achieve anything, and you realise that being happy is the most important thing in life. It makes you feel well.

On March the 13th this year it will be exactly 10 years since I first took ill, so I have decided I want to give something back to ‘Over the Wall’ - this amazing charity who have been so good to me and my family. For every year of illness I will do a fundraising event on behalf of ‘Over the Wall’, each one to represent a year. 10 events for 10 years.

10 for 10!

A huge thank you to every single one of you who supports me through this page and at any of the events organised. I will keep you posted here about what all we are doing throughout the year. Please help me to raise as much as possible for the wonderful ‘Over the Wall!’

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