A heartfelt JustGiving crowdfunding appeal set up for a terminally ill mum from Frome in Somerset, who is raising money to help take care of her girls after she dies, has had a major boost after a host of celebrities have backed the campaign.
EastEnders stars Natalie Cassidy and Danny Dyer have both sent touching videos – see here and Huey Morgan (the frontman of rock/hip hop band Fun Lovin’ Criminals) has also sent a supportive message.
Wearing a Lisa’s Army T-shirt Huey tweeted: “I’m supporting this amazing lady who’s looking out for her little girls. I hope you’ll join me. I’m with #LisasArmyUK are you?”
Lisa Wells was given the devastating news in December 2017, five weeks after giving birth to her second child that she had terminal bowel and liver cancer, after developing what she initially thought was just a simple water infection.
Lisa says: “All the aches and pains I had experienced during pregnancy I had put down to the pressures on the body that every woman experiences during that time, but, in fact, they were cancer warning signs and I’ve now been told I may only have short amount of time left to live.”
Rather than sit back and do nothing, the 32-year-old, from Frome has galvanised friends, family and celebrity supporters whom she has affectionately nicknamed #LisasArmyUK to help with her campaign. The plan is to raise money for her five year old daughter, Ava-Lily and 13 week old Saffia and the hospice that has been supporting her family throughout the diagnosis called Dorothy House.
Activities planned include an organised Mother’s Day Walk on Sunday 11th March and a special Lisa’s Army Gig on Sunday 1st April which sold out in just 24hrs. However, Lisa and friends are now looking for a headline act for the special concert and have roped in celebrity support to find the right artist.
Danny, who plays Mick Carter in EastEnders, said in a video message: “I just want to let you know that I’m with the Lisa Army UK mob and if you don’t get a band for your gig I’ll send the boys round and tell them that it’s all about Lisa’s Army.”
Referring to Lisa’s husband Dan, Danny also quipped: “Your fella Dan looks a bit like me, so he must be a raving sort.”
Young mum’s legacy of love
On her JustGiving Page, Lisa says: ““My biggest battle is not the chemo or the cancer I face, but that I wish to leave my girls a lasting legacy in my absence and help others in a similar position. I won’t get to see my girls reach the milestones every mother should – helping to pick out their wedding dresses, celebrate their successes or keys to their first home.
“So instead I want to raise an army of friends, family and supporters to help carry them through those experiences and to know their mum did all of this in their name. My legacy will not be filled with sadness, but joy, laughter and love. I want my girls to be proud of their mummy and what I did for them and others.
“A percentage of all proceeds with go to the charity hospice Dorothy House which many people just associate with end of life palliative care, but they do so much more. They not only provide compassionate care for adults, their families and carers, either at home, in the Hospice or at their Outreach Centres, but also provide an incredible amount of pre- and post-bereavement support. They have supported us from day one with many difficult decisions, including how to communicate what’s happening to our five-year old daughter Ava-Lily, our friends and family.”
To support the appeal, please visit https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/lisa-wells-3
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About JustGiving
JustGiving (a Blackbaud Company) is the world’s leading social platform for giving, enabling over 22 million people to raise over $4.5 billion for over 26,000 charities since launching in 2001.
As a tech-for-good company, JustGiving develops world-class technology and innovative tools to fulfil its mission to connect people with the causes they care about. By making giving more simple, social and rewarding, JustGiving helps all causes, charities and people in need to reach more people and raise more money.
For more information, visit www.justgiving.com.
