http://www.izzytwinkletoes.com/

My name is Izzy and I’m nearly four.

I’ve got a twin sister called Gabby and a big brother called Charlie. Me and Gabby look a bit like each other but we’re not the same because I’ve got cerebral palsy in my legs, so I can’t walk very well. When we’re at nursery, sometimes we have to do dancing which I enjoy, but because my legs are stiff I can’t put my feet flat on the floor, I have to just watch. I have to wear special boots called Piedro boots because normal ones from the shoe shop just keep coming off. At Christmas the doctor put some special casts on my legs to try and stretch them. I had to wear them all day, even in bed! They weren’t very comfy but because they were pink I didn’t mind. What I didn’t like was when it snowed I couldn’t go outside and play with Charlie and Gabby because my wellies wouldn’t fit over them.

Mummy and Daddy have been on the computer talking to a different doctor in America who has done a lot of operations on other girls and boys so they can put their feet flat. If we get enough money I would like to go to America to see if he can fix my legs so that me and Gabby can wear the same pretty shoes and I can stop falling over all the time.

See what Izzy’s upto at Facebook and Twitter;

Make a donation to Izzy’s appeal here

http://www.sah.org.uk/our-care

Care at St Ann’s Hospice is based on the simple idea that a person who has a life-limiting illness or is dying – is still very much a living person, with unique physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs.

Our aim is to help people maintain their dignity and have the best quality of life possible. We’re not just focused on our patients either: we recognise that it’s also a difficult time for relatives, carers and friends and that they may need support too.

Our three main areas of care, are:

• Inpatient care
• Day therapy
• Community support

All of the services provided by the hospice are free of charge – and around two thirds of our funding comes from donations and fundraising events.

The sooner we are involved, the more we can help

We can provide care right from the point of diagnosis – and the earlier we are involved, the more we can help to make a real difference to the lives of patients and those who support them.

St Ann’s Hospice has 3 locations, providing care 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 2 of those – with support 7 days a week within the community.

The quality of care

We have access to the same quality of medical professionals as a hospital, from consultants and specialist registrars (who are being trained as the consultants of the future) to junior doctors, GPs and nursing staff. Over and above this, St Ann’s Hospice is a recognised centre of excellence for specialist palliative care – even providing training for other medical professionals locally, regionally and nationally.

Our teams work hard to try to give back as much normality to people’s lives, wherever they can. One example is pain relief: reducing or removing someone’s pain requires a great deal of expertise, but doing so can literally transform their life – giving them back a renewed vigour and making their life more ‘normal’ again.

Make a donation to St Ann’s Hospice here

http://refugeewelcometrust.org/

Many refugees have been forced to leave families behind in order to seek asylum and have often been apart from their partners and children for significant periods of time.

The Refugee Welcome Trust provides assistance for refugees to allow them to establish their life in the UK.

Once granted refugee status the dependents of a refugee can be given permission to come and reside in the UK. For many refugees the process of getting their families to the UK can be long and problematic. One of the main obstacles facing people in this situation is the cost associated with their family’s travel.

The Refugee Welcome Trust aims to provide grants for travel to the UK in order to allow refugees to be reunited with their families.

We believe that family reunion is one of the key issues facing refugees in the UK. Many have been separated from their families for years whilst seeking asylum, with limited contact. For families who have already been through a traumatic experience this period of separation can cause further distress and prevent refugees from being able to settle properly in the UK.

Desperate to be reunited with their families some refugees go to extreme lengths to raise the money for their family’s travel including going without food and borrowing from anyone who’ll lend it. Some are forced to bring family members over separately as they can afford it meaning children can be sent unaccompanied which can leave them vulnerable to trafficking and abuse.

Make a donation to the Refugee Welcome Trust here