All for UKAN
This hobbie has given me something to look forward to every morning, and the feeling when you see an envelope addressed
to you is indescribable. Recently i have been thinking that i could put this hobbie to a great purpose. Therefore i have decided
to write to celebrities and ask for signed photos or memorabilia that i can sell in order ot make money for a charity, UKAN.
Why UKAN?
Ukan is a charity for narcolepsy and cataplexy. Narcolepsy is a sleeping disorder which causes the sufferer to not be able to drive
and it is extremely difficult to get a job. Cataplexy is a muscle disorder, in most cases it causes a muscle to occasionally give out,
for example a leg or an arm causing you to drop something. However in some it causes full body collapses, meaning you fall to the floor and have no control over your body.
My mum has all of these symptoms and also has the more rare ones that can come along side it, for example parylses and hallucinations. My mum is a single mum and therefore
the responsibility to look after her falls on me and my 17 year old brother. We were never told how to do this, we had to learn for ourselves to put her into the recovery
position when she collapses, to consol her until she comes round, to touch her during parylses to bring her back around. We have to calm her down after she has hallucinated things,
they are so real to her we have to convince her they never happened. Never would i complain about doing these things, she is my mum and i would always
do them, however me and my brother should of had a talk from the doctor. We should of been aware what coule happen and how to help her. When she first collapses we feared for her life.
I also have a nine year old sister and a thirteen year old brother, my nine year old sister does not understand any of it, she should of had it explained to her not had i all of a
sudden sprung on her. When my mum is worried something is getting worse, or worried she can't even go to her GP, he has never heard of either of them,
she has to wait roughly 6 months to see a specialist. None of these things are fair, he should know she has these and atleast researched into them to have a basic understanding, that's what me
and my brother had to do and even my mum. People think it is amusing when people fall asleep in public, how would you feel if that was you? How embaresed would you be ? To the extent you don't want to
leave the house for fear of sleepiness and collapsing? Next time you see someone with these symptoms, stop and think.
Where will the money go?
Money raised will go to raising awareness, getting GP's to understand it, having support for the family and the sufferer.
Information on buying
If you are interested in buying any of my items i am selling to raise money then feel free to email me for more information. Pictures of the things currently for sale can be found
in the charity section of the gallery.
Contact : rosiew_118 AT hotmail.co.uk or AT yahoo.co.uk