Blessing bags and me.

A few weeks ago, I read a post on my local village's FB page. Cheryl Hutchinson, a woman who was starting up a business as a Jamberry consultant was inspired to give blessing bags to the local oncology department  for their chemo patients in December and was looking for sponsors.
She listed the sort of thing she was looking for and the fact that she needed to do 20 bags.  As I know from readers that reading one of my books (indeed any Harlequin/Mills & Boon) can make time go quickly, I offered to donate a signed copy of one of my books for each bag.
The woman agreed and then when she was picking them up, she mentioned a friend of hers was doing the same in Newcastle at the Freeman Hospital and had to do 45 bags. So in the end I donated 68 books. Thankfully after writing 26 books, I had a number of spare copies.
I think that the whole idea is such a lovely one -- it is rotten to have chemo whatever time of year -- and I was pleased to help out.

The bags have now been delivered. My thoughts and prayers are with each patient and their family who receive one this December. May their day be that little bit brighter.

This is what Cheryl  wrote:
You may remember I asked for sponsors for blessing bags I was making up for the patients at Hexham hospital oncology department. I would like to say a big thank you to all those who sponsored a bag. I delivered them today along with a box of goodies for the nursing staff to enjoy. I’d like to thank the following people 

Traybake uk
The Doody Family
Doug Robson
Andy and Sylvia Turnbull
Marian, Michael and Andrew Hutchinson
Karen Morgan
Little Badgers
Denize Designs
Geoff Stevens and son opticians
Mark Ward
Rhoswen Muse
Potts plant hire
Team Rapid Hexham Football Club
Kate Walker

Cathy Duffy for donating goodies for the nursing staff.

The children of Alnwick class at Shaftoe trust primary school for making the lovely cards for the bags.

Michelle Styles for donating many of your wonderful books.

Thank you all for making this possible

With love
Cheryl

www.cherylahutchinson.jamberry.com

If you are inspired to make blessing bags for your local hospital, these are the sorts of things which Cheryl discovered were needed:
FLUFFY SOCKS - For Comfort and keeping warm

MINTS - One if the hardest bits for many is the taste that hits the back of your throat as soon as the infusion starts and the smell
TISSUES - your nose will run all day, and eyes watering without warning
GINGER BISCUITS - Ginger is known to help nausea and with chemo you are pretty sick. Or Shortbread as I’ve been advised bland tastes are often best.
NOURISH Hand cream- Your skin and nails take a bit of a beating with Chemo so a great quality hand cream is a real comfort.
LIP BALM - your lips flake, dry and become quite sore

COLOURING PAD Or Puzzle book & PENCILS - The reality is you spend horrendous amounts of time there and distracting yourself from reality is a blessing.