Donate a little to give Brooke a big future - Cheryl Gibbs

Every now and then I come across a story or a person that makes me think about what life is really all about.  It’s a cliché I know, but life is so short and how many times in a year, a month, a week or even a day do you wish that things were different? That somehow life was better?
Brooke Leavey, from Hedge End, who has a brain tumour.Brooke Leavey, from Hedge End, who has a brain tumour.
Brooke Leavey, from Hedge End, who has a brain tumour.

We’re all guilty and I include myself in that for sure.

Last week I learned about a little girl from Hedge End who has quite the journey ahead of her just to simply have what we all take for granted – a future.

Brooke Leavey is like most other 10-year-old girls – she loves clothes, make up, singing, dancing and being with her friends, but Brooke is dealing with something that none of her friends are.

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She has a tumour on her brainstem and has been receiving treatment at Southampton General Hospital

But she is now undergoing a six-week intensive course of treatment to shrink the tumour at University College London Hospital.

I can’t begin to imagine how this will affect Brooke and her family and friends, so I wont even try.

What I do know is that her family and friends are trying to fundraise £150,000 so that she can get a form of pioneering treatment that isn’t available on the NHS. 

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So far Brooke’s received £50,000 in donations, but with £100,000 to go there is still a lot of money needed.

I had the pleasure of speaking to a friend of Brooke’s family, Suzie Beadle, this week who told me about some of the fundraising events that are planned.

There are sponsored walks, cake sales, a beard-growing contest as well as a fashion show at Next in Hedge End on Saturday, June 23.

There is also an evening of food and entertainment at the East Horton Golf Club on Friday, July 19. 

So, there is £100k to go…that’s a lot of money to raise.

But this little girl has her whole life to fight for.

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If you can donate via her Go Fund Me page, even just a few pounds, it will make all the difference.

To make a donation go to gofundme.com/f/help-10yr-old-Brooke-get-specialist-treatment.

Weekend away for hubby means lazy days for me

Last weekend Matt went on a boys-only trip to Butlins in Bognor Regis. 

It was a nineties event and they all dressed up – Matt went as Wayne from Wayne’s World which required him to shave his beard. He looks so much younger without it!

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I spent three days on my own…boo hoo. I’m not very good on my own and it was strange because it’s usually me who travels.

I missed him like crazy – silly perhaps as it was only a weekend, but the one plus side was that I slept like a baby right in the middle of a king-size bed.

I didn’t clean or tidy until Sunday afternoon and I deliberately left all the dirty plates and cups on the side – something I never get to do usually.

As always Mr Smith steals the show

and her two children, Hollie and Lewie to watch the new Aladdin movie.

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Will Smith stars in it as The Genie and I have to admit, I don’t really remember the first one.

Out of all the Disney films, Aladdin is probably the one I know the least so it was a bit of a revelation to watch Aladdin almost from a new perspective. 

I thought it was absolutely brilliant. 

Actor Mena Massoud who plays Aladdin was fantastic, but Will, as usual, stole the show. 

It is apparently Will’s third most successful movie at the box office ever. 

I recommend it, it’s a must-watch.