Hi guys, this year we are back again (after writing last year off due to a very poorly Maya)  but this year is going to be even bigger and better to celebrate SHINE's golden anniversary!!! 50 years 

After seeing a pop up post on social media from the lovely Darren Fowler last year (Thanks Darren!) about a SHINE bucket list we or should I say 'I' decided we (ME and MAYA and a few extras) would complete our 'bucket list' this year and hopefully raise much needed awareness and funds for SHINE (and a few other charities) along the way! 

So here goes....

2016 = 12 months so here is our 12 SHINE bucket list challenges

April - Sunflower Challenge Get in touch if you would like a pack of sunflowers to take part. (Suggested donation £1 + 52p postage)

May - GO FOLIC 

June - 3 Yorkshire peaks

July - #5for5 5 mile walk from Whittlesey to Peterborough as part of the SHINE Chairman's challenge 

August - Picnic

September - Maya's First 5km Parallel London

October - Fire walk, Mad hatter teaparty and PGER 5km Fun Run 

November - Bolton Hospital to Manchester Children's Hospital Walk

This is in memory of the horrific day Maya had meningitis and she fought hard on her journey to survive. at 8am in the morning we set off to our GP after a very unsettled night with no idea what was to come. At 5pm that afternoon Maya took the journey from Bolton hospital to Manchester Children's hospital by critical care ambulance whilst fighting for her life to receive the treatment that saved her life - together they beat Meningitis (We will also be raising funds and awareness for Meningitis UK and Manchester Children's hospital during this time)  

December - Christmas Bake sale

January - Build a money tower

February - 

March - Mission: Mount Snowdon - Maya is going to reach the top of mount snowdon and see the world! 

Thanks for showing your support and feel free to join in the madness or create your very own madness!! (after all we are all mad here!!) ;-)

(Calendar subject to alternations)

Events will also be to help raise money and awareness for ESUK a charity that has literally help save Maya's life and helped me sleep a little easier at night by providing us with an anti-suffocation pillow. We hope to be able to raise money to fund some extra pillows for the charity and help a few individuals and families just like us. We would also like to support the Daisy Garland Charity who have provided Maya with a seizure monitor. 

If you got this far you may be reading this and be thinking WHY?!?!?

so I guess now is the time tell you all...

On the 12th October 2011 our beautiful daughter Maya was born and she was just perfect weighing just over 7lb with 10 little fingers and 10 little toes the only difference was that Maya had Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus. Now 3 years later she is doing fantastically well and although we have our ups and downs and its been one hell of a roller coaster she is a happy striving little girl. This is Thanks to SHINE. 

Maya was diagnosed with Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus on our 20 week scan and we were told the devastating news that our little girl would probably not survive pregnancy or the birth and that we should make preparations for our daughters special entrance in to this world. We were told if she did survive we would be blessed with a few special hours. As hours turned to days and days turned to weeks and months we were told Maya would have a very limited quality of life and life expectancy. But those months have turned in to years and we are blessed with each and everyone of them. Without SHINE's help, support and information over the past 3 years (4 years in June) we would not be where we are today.

We also have SHINE to thank for their amazing support and advice resulting in 2 happy little chappies Max (my son) and Harry (my nephew) born in 2013 with no spinal defects.  

WHAT HAS SHINE DONE FOR US?

SHINE was there to introduce us to the head of a research project focusing on the use of MRI scans in the diagnosis of Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus.

SHINE was there when we needed someone to talk to when we found more information out about Maya's prognosis in the later stages of my pregnancy.

SHINE was there to give us information to help explain what was happening to our family and friends.

SHINE has been there to connect us with other families and individuals coping with the same and similar challenges we are facing.

SHINE has given us continued support, advise and information in very difficult times and also there to answer my ever increasing trivial and not so trivial questions.

SHINE has set up a local support group for us so we can meet other families in our area.

SHINE has provided opportunity weekends to meet other families and learn about our daughters condition

SHINE has given us confidence to be a strong advocate for our daughter fighting for not only what she needs but for the best we can offer her.

SHINE gave us the information, advise and support we needed to access the services and healthcare we needed to support us the conception and birth of our son. This included taking part in a vitamin B12 study which we believed helped Max a great deal during pregnancy along side the extra folic acid and healthy living. 

WITH YOUR DONATIONS WE HOPE THAT:

SHINE Can continue to be there for us when we need help and advice as well as all the other families and individual across the country. 

SHINE can develop its 'Heath Hub' and help to improve healthcare provision across the country for individuals living with spina bifida and/or hydrocephalus

SHINE can continue to promote the taking of FOLIC ACID with their 'GO FOLIC' campaign with the aim to educate women and reduce neural tube defects.

SHINE can continue to raise awareness of Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus.

SHINE is able to give other people the help, advice, support and information they need in the future.

SHINE continues to provide a Community of support for individuals and families living with Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus.

So with YOUR help we are hoping to give something back to those that helped us so much and every penny counts to help SHINE to continue to offer it's services to the many that need it so much.

To find out more about Maya's story visit:

http://www.mayaswonderland.weebly.com

To find out more about SHINE visit:

http://www.shinecharity.org.uk

THANK YOU for taking the time to visit our JustGiving page and your donations are much appreciated

Love,

 Fay and Maya!!  xxx

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