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| TRAVELS WITH MY DINOSAUR - Why Am I Going? - |
| WHY? |
| Anyone who loves the spirit of adventure and the open road will know there doesn't have to be a reason behind a decision to just take to the road for two months and visit lots of interesting places between two points on a map. I once travelled for three days across Kenya to be in a place called Lake Paradise, for no other reason than the appeal of its name. However, there were many reasons for going to America this summer. The concept was born with the suggestion of a one-day conference, in the New York area, for families dealing with childhood tumours of the optic pathway. Such tumours are very rare, and this will be the first gathering of its kind, anywhere in the world, which has been organised specifically for these families. Shortly after the conference planning began, I received an invitation (one among several) from an Oxford University friend to visit her in her home town of Nassau, Bahamas (who would say no?) and started to think about the possibilities of travelling between the two locations over a period of time. Not being able to work at the moment, money is an issue for me, and I wanted to ensure that I would make the most of my time in the States. I thought, and prayed, for quite some time about the opportunities which might be available to me during my potential travels. At about the same time, I received several emails from US families about Dino the Retinoblastoma Dinosaur, his wonderful value for their children, and the concern that nothing like Dino currently exists in North America. After several conversations with members of the Rb Society, I decided that I would try and take my own Dino to some of the major Rb treatment centres along my route, showing those who care for America's Rb families how effective he can be in helping children to understand and cope with the trauma of losing an eye to cancer. In the process of exploring various children's hospital web sites for relevant information, and talking with friends who have personal experience of treatment there, I became aware of some interesting and unique projects taking place, always thinking these ideas may be useful for the Oxford Children's Hospital team to look at. When I was later offered the opportunity to shadow a child life specialist (UK = play specialist) for a day, I naturally grabbed the chance with both hands. Having a personal interest in hospital play specialism, this is a great opportunity for me, and I began to realise that others were available outside of the Rb clinics. Aside from play specialism, I am particularly interested in the provision of non-medical support, information access and accommodation for families attending hospitals. All of these are issues of concern for the CHOX campaign team, and I felt that I could utilise my time Stateside to do a little research and information gathering on their behalf - after all, the best work is that which isn't work at all when it is enjoyed. So, I went back to the notes I'd made whilst visiting the web sites, and wrote to the people concerned at each project of interest. Everyone I communicated with was receptive and enthusiastic about my potential visit, and the result is the itinerary posted on this site! Early this year, I became involved with the Over The Wall Gang Camp, a British organisation providing summer-camp style experiences for children with cancer. I hope that my visits to Camp Twin Lakes and Children's Harbour will be a positive learning experience for me to share with the team at OTWGC when I visit them at Bryanston, Dorset, upon my return to the UK in August. With lots of prayer about the financial and health aspects of my trip, God provided the ways and means for me to go. It is to Him that I owe my biggest thanks for the opportunity I have laid out in front of me, and I hope and pray that I will serve Him well in all that I do whilst I am away. |
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| The Retinoblastoma Society |
| Fighting eye cancer in children. |