Birthday’s are a funny thing… Some people place a lot of emphasis on them, others are a little more laid back and understated in their approach… Anna was always the enthusiast for any and all of our family birthdays,...
Birthday’s are a funny thing… Some people place a lot of emphasis on them, others are a little more laid back and understated in their approach… Anna was always the enthusiast for any and all of our family birthdays, my approach being more the latter. Anna would’ve been 26 today and I know I speak for the whole family when I say that these past few weeks have been hard leading up to this day.
Today I am at work, keeping busy and mostly just getting through the day, but this evening we will be enjoying a lovely meal at Anna’s favourite local place to eat, Woodham Golf Club. These were last minute plans, suggested by my better half, as none of us really new whether we should be celebrating, mourning or just letting the day pass by. Anna loved to eat… here… 
and we felt it was a fitting, intimate way for us all to feel closer to her today.
We should, and will, always celebrate her life in the smallest and biggest of ways every single day; in how we live, the choices we make, the things we remember and stories we share. We miss Anna every day. Every single day is a harsh reminder that the life and soul of our family is a little less vibrant now. But for some reason, her birthday is hurting us all just that little bit more. But we cannot let this day pass by, living in our own solitary bubbles of grief. She would be the first to tell us all to get a grip!
In the short time Anna was with us, she made a massive impact on the world, and therefore this day will always belong to her. I’ve promised myself I’ll do better next year, and truly celebrate the life of the person I miss so much. Watch this space Anna!
As for us and what we have been doing to continue Anna’s legacy… We have been so grateful to our friends and family for continuing to grow Anna’s fundraising total. A charity car wash and Coast to Coast bike rides within the last couple of months alone. We are truly grateful for Anna’s relentless army of supporters who continue to raise funds for Brain Tumour Research Campaign and will always be thankful. You can view Anna’s running total here.
Last week, Anna’s dad visited the research centre at Hammersmith Hospital and placed a tile in Anna’s memory on the Wall of Hope at the Brain Tumour Research Centre of Excellence at Imperial College, London, which we were incredibly proud of (read more). We were also very grateful to Helen Beckett for inviting us to present an award at a school in South Shields that Anna visited a couple of times to talk to the young people about her story. The award was presented to the student who had overcome diversity and difficult times, which we felt was a truly fitting tribute to our brave girl.
Our next milestone will be September 16th… A year since Anna died…
We will be celebrating Anna’s life on that day by organising a walk in her memory. Anyone wishing to join Anna’s Army to remember her, celebrate her life and to raise a few more pennies for Brain Tumour Research Campaign, there will be more details to follow over the coming weeks on her Facebook page, Inside My Head.
But for now I will say a tearful and wistful Happy 26th Birthday to my baby sister. This is your day sis, and I’ll order a chocolate fudge cake just for you!
V x
