The Blaby Society of Artists holds an Annual Exhibition of members’ art, to showcase the talents of their members and raise the profile of their Society in the local community.
Each year they also nominate a charity to support at the Exhibition, through sales of their exhibition catalogue and donations.
This year, the Society of Artists has chosen Anthony Nolan; Chairman and Founding Members Marguerite and Brian Armstrong explain why.
In April, our beautiful granddaughter fell and badly bruised her leg. Following a blood test, she was rushed into hospital for a blood transfusion.
Eventually results confirmed that her bone marrow was no longer working. A diagnosis was given as very severe aplastic anaemia. This is a rare insidious condition for which, if she were to have a long-term future, she needed a stem cell transplant. Her case was transferred to Sheffield Children’s Hospital. They approached Anthony Nolan to conduct a search for a donor. We waited in fear as she gradually became too ill to dance, turn cartwheels, go to cheer leading or scouts. Our lovely granddaughter had literally stopped singing.
Our search for a match
Would they find a match? Would it be in time? Would it succeed? Family members were tested without success. Our hopes and fears were as if we were on a yoyo, constantly up and down. From a normal life, we had been catapulted into a nightmare situation.
Then the news came; a donor had been found. Anthony Nolan had searched for a young male with a 100% match, and they succeeded. Soon after, the transplant procedure was started.
It is now beginning to work, and it is all thanks to a young man who volunteered to give his stem cells in order to save another person’s life. Thank you, Anthony Nolan. Thank you to our wonderful anonymous donor; you will be forever in our thoughts. Thank you to the doctors and nurses whose expertise has helped our granddaughter reach this stage. Without the help of you all, she would have died. Thank you to all the people of Blaby and Blaby District and beyond who have supported us through this harrowing time.
There is still a long way to go and the road may be rocky, but once again we can hear her singing.
So come along to our Exhibition, see our wonderful original art work, and help us to support the vital work of Anthony Nolan.
The Blaby Society of Artists Annual Exhibition takes place on 29th and 30th October.
Annual Art Exhibition
29-30 October 2016
10am to 4pm
Whetstone Parish Council Rooms
Cemetery Lane
Whetstone Leicester
LE8 6LL