Wednesday, September 05, 2012

Parent's Nightmare

As far as my memory goes, I always wanted to have my own children, and provide best of opportunities for them to lead a balanced life. What I did not realize is that, once I became a parent, how sensitive and compassionate I would become when a misfortune befalls on a child or a parent.

I cant even begin to think how I will react if a misfortune as cruel as loosing a child befalls on me.

A Nightmare, that lasts a lifetime!


There has been such a misfortune in my family, one of my relatives lost a Five year old child. I shudder even today to think about it.

Kevin lost his child Christopher to brain tumor. He and his wife, emerged strong from that, set up a charity. Today Christopher's smile charity is making contribution towards research of new treatments for children with cancer.  Details can be found here.

I share an email sent to us by one of the supporters, requesting for a donation. If you can, do contribute to his cause.

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Dear Christopher’s Smile supporter,
I would lirke to share with you that I have been selected to carry the Olympic flame in Guildford on Friday the 20th July.  I now know exactly where I will be carrying the flame and by sharing this information I hope that many of you will be able to come along and support me. I will be carrying the Olympic flame on ‘The Chase’ between ‘The Oval’ and Old Palace Road.  I expect to start my section of the route at approx 6:17 pm.

For a map of the area please see the link below:
https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=the+chase+guildford&ll=51.238854,-0.591309&spn=0.010089,0.01929&hnear=The+Chase,+Guildford,+Surrey+GU2,+United+Kingdom&t=h&z=16

My only wish is that Christopher was here to enjoy the Olympics.  When Christopher was diagnosed with a brain tumour in October 2006, London had already been chosen to host the Olympics and prior to his diagnosis I had thought we as family could attend the games in 2012.  Christopher would have been 10 years old and I’m sure he would have been eager to be involved in the games in any way he could. 
The Olympic Games were awarded to London on the 6th July 2005.  Since this announcement in 2005 over 2,500 children in the UK have lost their fight with cancer and are no longer with us.  Sadly Christopher was one of these children.  My thoughts as I carry the flame next Friday will be of Christopher and of the children we knew who are no longer with us who never got the chance to see the Olympic flame travel through our streets or experience the Olympics in our country.

In early September I am undertaking a challenge myself for Christopher’s Smile.  I will be sailing with 11 other ‘volunteers’ across the channel to Cherbourg and back.  I am not a sailor and my sailing knowledge is zero so for me this really will be something outside my comfort zone.  I am doing this challenge to raise funds for research into new treatments for childhood cancer.  If you would like to sponsor me please go to my fundraising page: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/KevinCapel and donate what you can.  The thought of being soaked through for a whole weekend would be easier to think of if I was raising a lot of money!

I hope to see you on the 20th in Guildford

Kevin.

www.christopherssmile.org.uk