Support For Sarah

Morning guys. 

Today is probably one of the most important posts I’ve ever written and I ask that you please treat it with respect and above all, kindness.

This is my friend Sarah. She has the same name as me, is a mother like me and is the same age as me. 

 

Yet I’ve never met Sarah in person. We are both Bloggers you see, speaking daily on the world wide web! 

We’ve laughed, supported one another and even been through multiple pregnancies together, virtually supporting one another along the way. 

She’s a mother to three gorgeous kids under the age 5. 

I know right, imagine how tough that must be in itself.

The thing is, she also has incurable cancer.

Just you take a moment to take that in and consider the enormity of that devastating prognosis.

When her youngest was just 4 months old she was diagnosed with grade 3 invasive ductal carcinoma breast cancer.

Throughout the entirety of 2019 she has endured 4 different types of debilitating chemotherapies, radiotherapy and surgery all whilst trying to single handily raise her three very young children.

She has suffered and struggled through bravely and thought and hoped that she had finally come out the other side.

Until recently that is when she received the indescribably devastating news that following a period of pain within her bones, that the cancer has now spread to her ribs, classing her as stage 4.

Despite her FIERCE proudness and I mean fierce, in sheer desperation she herself up a Go Fund Me page to asking friends, family and kind citizens for donations to allow her to afford childcare so she could ensure that her most precious possessions, her children could be best cared for while she was suffering the devastating effects of chemo.

The result of this plea for help was simply abominable.

Sarah was trolled relentlessly online, sent message after message of abuse such as;

“Your children are going to so be so embarrassed of you when they’re older’

‘Stop being a money gabber’

‘Shouldn’t have had kids if you can’t afford them’

‘Hopefully the cancer will kill you then we won’t have to deal with our self righteous self begging’

So devastated by such a vile and cruel response to a desperate please from a proud woman for help Sarah shut down.

Both literally and figuratively.

Left feeling suicidal she and subsequently shut down her fundraising page, deleted all of her social media channels and disappeared from online completely.

Sheer luck meant I had her phone number as I’d sent her a care, pamper package some months earlier so I got in touch in with he and found out what had happened.

THIS.IS.NOT.OKAY.

And so here I am. 

 I have single handily taken it upon myself to try and build up A Go Fund Me for her as apparently being brave enough to ask for help yourself is something to be chastised and bullied for.

For the past month or so I have been doing literarlly everything in power to try and raise money for Sarah.

Raise money so she can afford childcare so that when she goes to hospital, her children can be properly looked after.

Money so that Sarah doesn’t need to worry where her next food shop is coming from because she can’t work.

Money so that when she is having a well day, she take her three children out for a day of fun and spoil them rotten.

She is not well enough to do so right now, but it is our hope that one day she will have enough money and be well enough to take her wonderful family to Disneyland to make precious memories to last a lifetime. 

A lifetime. 

Sarah is soon to undergo an experimental clinical trial, however this will be to try and prologue her life as opposed to curing her of the cancer as at this time, this simple isn’t possible.

I cannot even begin to comprehend the devastation this news must have made to Sarah and her beautiful family.

The future is extremely uncertain right now.

The incomprehensible and overwhelming reality of the situation is that Sarah might unlikely to be granted the privilege, or some may say the right, of seeing her children grow up.

If wishing on a star worked all would be well, yet despite wishing I could, I cannot change a single thing about this prognosis.

 BUT there IS something I can do.

I can try to raise a little money so that she has some financial security not just for herself but for her kids, for her future, for their future, come what May.

 I realise that now is probably the WORST time to be asking for people to part with cash and so to try and encourage people to part with a few quid I have taken it upon myself to get in contact with some of my close PR and Beauty Brands who I work on my blog and asked if they could kindly afford to donate some of their wonderful products for me to give away as an incentive for people to donate, and you know what they have. 

Temple Spa

ESPA

Winter In Venice

OPI

Childs Farm

Truffle Shuffle

Scamp & Dude
Olverum
Burts Bees
Pixi Skincare
Ted Baker 
Biovene
Great Little Trading Company

Choc On Choc

Aromatherapy Associates
Posh Paws Int
Soul Analyse

Sabon

Have all generously donated a host of goodies for me to giveaway to a random donatee.

Each week I randomly select a donatee to receive a gift and pop it in the post to them.

 

 

Why?

To say thank you. 

To say thank you for your generosity ad to try and help raise their spirit during this difficult time.

Paying it forward if you like.

But I want and need to find a bigger way of getting the word out.

I even signed up to a Celebrity contact website at the personal price of £125 to me to try and get in contact with the publicists and agents of a host of different celebrities in the hope that they may back my campaign somehow or spread the word, but to date I’ve not heard back from anyone. 

I’m not going to lie, yes I’m asking for money. But I’m not asking for a lot. If every single person on my Instagram donated just  £1 we’d have over £11,000 for Sarah.

If you cannot donate, PLEASE spread the word.

Please share her story, please share my page, please share her link. Absolutely any help whatsoever is so greatly appreciated.

In a world where just 2 month ago following the tragic death of Caroline Flack from online bullying, I fund Sarah’s situation frighteningly similar and so please try to find a way to just be kind.

For the record, Sarah will be mortified that I’ve written this as she feels entirely undeserving but she is not and I will not stop trying for her.

If you’ve read this far, you deserve a medal.

You may Donate HERE.

If you think you could help me in any way email me at Sarahberryman1@gmail.com

Candylocks from Spinmaster

If like me you’re already pulling your hair out at ways to entertain your bored kids during down this difficult time then I’ve found some fab, reasonably priced toys that could just do the job.

Meet the ridiculously cute Candylocks Doll + Pet Asst (£12.99)

Packaged in a bright, eye catching yet secret keeping pack you’ll find hidden beneath  swatch of Rapunzel-esq hair a very cute, scented collectible doll complete with their very own pet!

As you’ve probably guessed, the name ‘Candylocks’ is derived from the fact their long locks resemble your favourite seaside sugared treat!

 

This dual pack of joy contains one 3 inch tropical themed doll, all wrapped up with her very own BFF pet to keep her company!

Her 15 inches of colourful, ombré hair come wrapped around the doll and the pet, so they are both hidden inside the pack.

Who will you reveal!?

Tear into the packaging to unwrap the hair to reveal your Summer Pop Party Candylocks besties! 

 Each doll contains a matching tropical treats theme, a bright and summery outfit on your doll and colourful graphics on your pet, making them both ready for some fun in the sun!

 Oh, and with delicious scents like mango, peach, lemon and more, every Candylocks duo smells as sweet as they look!

Mnnnn.

In terms of the unique, non silky texture of the Candylocks’ extra-long hair, its great for making it really easy for young kids with smaller hands to create a variety of different funky looks.

Better still,  It holds its shape and doesn’t come apart!

 Eaxch Doll and Pet 2-Pack, you’ll also find two accessories, including a transforming hair accessory that becomes a pet bowl or water dish when you flip it over! 

Genius!

We were delighted with our duo, ‘Ocean Spray’ and ‘Rickicoon’ which came with a hair bow doubling as a food bowl and a cute visor to keep the sun out of Ocean Spray’s eyes.

Don’t fancy spending quite as much or not sure your kids are going to be that into it, try a smaller doll first in the form of the Candylocks Pets Assy (£4.99.)

Hidden within a very cute, compact slice of watermelon you’ll find a single Candylock pet.

Like their doll counterparts they too feature the same addictive, delicious smelling cotton candy hair wrapped around itself hiding its true identity!

Open up the watermelon which cleverly doubles up as your pet bed to discover your pet waiting inside! 

Open up your pet to see who you’ll reveal! It could be a cute unicorns, llama, dog, cat, fox or ao many more!

In face, there are over 20 Candylocks Pets to collect (including one ultra-rare one!), each with a different scent, fun name and tropical treats theme. 

We discovered ‘Meryl’ the squirrel in our watermelon and she can complete with her own super cute hair clip to help create a variety of fun and funky hair do’s!

I think these are brilliant and personally, while aimed at kids, I rather enjoy sitting back, relaxing and plaiting the creature and dolls scrummy hair!

Candylocks Dolls and Pets Assts are available now!