Sad news of the death of Lucy Wiemers on 18 April 2012

[whole diary]

[welsharagorn]

Lucy's Dream has been setup to raise money to send a terminally ill 6 year old girl from Swansea and her family on holiday. Lucy is the daughter of a Swansea FGW^▸ (First Great Western) driver (ME). More information can be found via the Facebook group "Lucy's Dream" (http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=369272221629), or via the Swansea Staff Social Fund Website; http://www.swanseasocialfund.co.uk.

The point of this post is that FGW have kindly donated a day on the HST^▸ (High Speed Train) simulator at either Bristol or Reading to be auctioned off. The auction will be held at 1900, on Friday May 21st, at the Grand Hotel, oppposite swansea station. Many other things will be auctioned and anyone who wants to attend can, But the social fund are also accepting bids in advance via they're website. You can also view a list of the lots via either site above, with many smaller items e.g. meals in local restaurants available, and lots will be added as they're confirmed and received.

My apologise for posting this here, but with a view to what's on offer I thought this would be a good place to advertise it.

It's not my intention to make anyone uncomfortable, and only bid if you want to.

I don't want to go into Lucy's condition on an open forum, and more information is available via the above website, but if you want further information please contact me via pm.

Finally, a big thank you to Martin (you know who you are), for taking the time to come out last Sunday and take the photos for us.

Regards

Andy

[Chris from Nailsea]

Thanks for posting, welsharagorn.

While we usually prefer not to accept advertising posts on this forum, I'm happy to make an exception on this particular occasion.

With best wishes for your campaign,

Chris. 

[inspector_blakey]

Andy,

Thanks for the post. I know it's always a bit risky speaking on behalf of other people, but your cause has my full support (and I suspect that of my fellow moderators as well!).

Very best wishes with your fundraising. 

[johoare]

Indeed it does have my support too

Good Luck with it Andy 

[Chris from Nailsea]

From thisissouthwales.co.uk:

Dream holiday hope for brave Lucy

The family of a brave little girl suffering with leukaemia have launched a huge fundraising drive to take the six year-old on a dream holiday.

Lucy Wiemers won the hearts of thousands of football fans when she took to the field as the Swansea City mascot this week.

The plucky youngster was diagnosed with a rare juvenile form of the disease before Christmas, and was put on a course of chemotherapy treatment.

In February a suitable donor was found, and it was hoped a bone marrow transplant could be performed on the Llansamlet youngster.

But last month the family were told that Lucy's "blast count", her count of active leukaemia cells, had become too high for a transplant to be viable.

Doctors have also decided to halt chemotherapy for the Talycopa School pupil.

Now a massive fundraising campaign is underway to try to send Lucy, her five brothers and sisters, and her parents on holiday while the youngster is still strong enough to go.

Lucy's grandmother, Paula, from Brokesby Road in Bonymaen, said: "The response from people has been absolutely amazing ^ it's humbling. There has been so much sympathy and offers of help from people. Everyone has rallied around to help the family and to organise events."

A special committee of family members and well-wishers has been set up to lead the fundraising, and almost ^1,800 has so far been collected thanks to a variety of community events, from a swimathon to a sponsored headshave.

The aim is to raise around ^7,500 to send the parents ^ train driver dad Andrew and mum Nicola ^ and the siblings for an all-inclusive holiday to Portaventura in Spain this summer.

The next fundraising event is planned for this Friday, with a quiz night in Bonymaen Rugby Club from 7.30pm.

Next week will see three more events ^ a kids' fun day at Birchgrove Rugby Club on Wednesday, April 14, from 1pm to 4pm, a disco, raffle and auction night at 7pm the following day in Penlan Social Club, and a 12-hour sponsored fancy dress darts marathon in the Millhouse pub, Morriston, on Saturday, April 17.

The committee have also set-up a special "Lucy's Dream" page on the social networking site Facebook.

The family's ordeal began on November 20 last year when a biopsy confirmed that Lucy had juvenile myelomonocytic leukaemia, a rare form of chronic childhood leukaemia.

Further tests revealed she also had systemic mastocytosis, a scaring of the bone marrow.

She underwent a course of chemotherapy in Heath Hospital but the treatment has now been discontinued and she is back at home in Lon Ty Haul.

Paula added: "Lucy gets tired very easily, but is still a happy and bouncy little girl. The whole family is suffering, which is why we want to send them away for a fantastic holiday together. It is a real ordeal for Andrew, Nicola and the kids, but everyone is pulling together."

Best wishes to you all.  Chris.

[Chris from Nailsea]

An update, from thisissouthwales:

School steps in to salvage fun day for family

The party went on as planned, thanks to a Llansamlet school which came to the rescue of one of its pupils.

A family fun day was to be held at Bonymaen Community Centre on Tuesday in order to raise funds for seven-year-old Lucy Wiemers, of Brokesby Road, who has leukaemia.

But the centre was closed last week following a fire which destroyed the building ^ throwing plans for the fun day into jeopardy.

Groups which regularly used the centre, however, have since received a host of offers of temporary homes from elsewhere in the community, including churches, businesses and the rugby club.

And Talycopa school, where Lucy sometimes attends, stepped in to ensure that all the fun day events went ahead as planned.

Lucy's grandmother Paula Wiemers said she had been overwhelmed when the Llansamlet school offered to donate its grounds to hold the fun day.

She said: "We are so grateful to the school, and to all of the people who put in such an effort. Lucy really enjoyed herself, and there was a good turnout considering the weather. We raised about ^360, which will all go into the fund."

Lucy's family has been fundraising ever since she was diagnosed with a rare form of chronic childhood leukaemia, called juvenile myelomonocytic.

They were determined to ensure that she continued to enjoy herself, and threw themselves into fundraising in order to send Lucy and her five siblings, and parents Nicola and Andrew, on a dream holiday to Spain.

They are finally heading out to Portaventura later this month, but will continue with the fundraising in order to enjoy further days out.

It follows an amazing year for the brave youngster, who has already been a mascot for the Swans at the Liberty Stadium, met the stars of Noddy in Toyland backstage at the Grand Theatre, visited Disneyland in Paris and had a trip to Mumbles on a vintage fire engine.

Paula Wiemers added: "Lucy is doing really well at the moment. Her consultant is very pleased with her. Now she and the rest of the family are looking forward to their holiday in Spain."

[Chris from Nailsea]

An update from me, on behalf of Lucy's family - and very good news - on this topic:

Firstly the simulator days (FGW^▸ (First Great Western) actually donated 2) raised ^400 each.

With regards to Lucy, she saw her consultant for a check up in June and he said to us "she's looking well, too well!" and asked to do another Bone Marrow Biopsy the next week to check her condition, this he did and her "Blast Count" had dropped from 60% plus in March, to between 6-8%.  He can't really explain why as she has not had any Chemotherapy, but anything below 20% is transplantable and her AML Luekimia is in remission ...  After a few more weeks of waiting ... Lucy is now undergoing her Bone Marrow Transplant.  She had the Transplant on Tuesday just gone, and seems to be responding well.  We're obviously not out of the wood yet, but are hoping and praying, and at least have something to look forward to.

I have offered our continuing best wishes to Lucy and her family - who are very appreciative of all the support they are getting.

Chris. 

[Chris from Nailsea]

I am really very sorry indeed to have to post such sad news.

From the South Wales Evening Post:

Tributes pour in as youngster loses her battle with leukaemia

A young girl who filled her family with pride by defying doctors' expectations for so long has finally lost her fight against a rare form of leukaemia.

Eight-year-old Lucy Wiemers spent much of her short life battling systemic mastocytosis, a scarring of the bone marrow, and JMML leukaemia.

She was released from Sky Ward, at the Children's Hospital for Wales in Cardiff, three weeks ago to spend her remaining time at her Llansamlet home, and was surrounded by her family.

She slipped away in her sleep on Wednesday morning.

Her father Andrew said: "We've had a real emotional roller-coaster ride the past two-and-a-half years, and although we knew what was coming, it doesn't make Lucy's passing any easier. Nicola and myself feel a great pride in how Lucy bravely fought her condition, and how she never complained, taking all her treatments in her stride.

"The staff on Sky Ward have all been brilliant and Dr Connor, her consultant, has been tireless throughout in trying to give Lucy the best possible combination of treatments, and always looking for anything else he could give her.

"Also, Angela Gallagher, Lucy's oncology outreach nurse really went out of her way to do all she could to make Lucy as comfortable at home as possible and to support and prepare us as parents. Finally, we'd like to thank everyone who did so much to support Lucy, and to make it possible for us to have so many experiences and happy memories. We're deeply humbled, but also eternally grateful. "

The Talycopa School pupil was diagnosed with her rare condition shortly before Christmas in 2009 and spent the following six months undergoing treatment until doctors ruled out a bone marrow transplant and her chemotherapy was stopped.

She later surprised medics by becoming well enough to eventually undergo a transplant, only for it to prove unsuccessful. Throughout it all, her family, including her five brothers and sisters, were determined to make sure brave Lucy lived as normal a life as possible, and threw themselves into fundraising to give her experiences.

These included visits to the Liberty Stadium as guests of both the Swans and the Ospreys, where she was team mascot, a journey to Mumbles in a vintage fire engine, a dream holiday to Portaventura and a trip to Disneyland in Paris.

Last summer, Lucy joined children on a trip to Legoland in Windsor, organised by charity Latch, which supports children with cancer and their families.

Lucy's funeral will be held at St Samlet's Church, Llansamlet, on Wednesday, April 25, at 11.30am. It is open to anyone who wants to attend.

On behalf of all of the administration team here on the Coffee Shop forum, may I offer our sincere condolences to Lucy's family and friends on their very sad loss of such a brave girl.

Chris from Nailsea. 

[anthony215]

May I also offer my sincere condolences to the family on  this tragic and heartbreaking news

[Ollie]

I am lost for words on what to say.

When I found out on Wednesday that Lucy had passed away it was really saddening news. There isn't much I can say that isn't covered in the article.
I never met Lucy, but I have met some of her family, and they are really lovely people and my prayers go out to them.

The article mentions LATCH, I do ask that people take a look at LATCH who are a Wales based charity that helps children and their families deal with childhood cancer - if you can, please make a donation.

http://www.latchwales.org/

[Chris from Nailsea]

I've just received a PM from Lucy's father, Andy (member 'welsharagorn'), thanking me for updating you all on this very sad news.

Andy says he would be honoured if anyone from this forum feels they'd like to attend Lucy's funeral, at St Samlet's Church, Llansamlet, on Wednesday, April 25, at 11.30am.



RIP, brave angel.