Carol and I were ‘childhood sweethearts’ and have been an ‘item’ ever since. We are ‘Soul Mates’ and ‘Best Friends’. We celebrated our 30thWedding Anniversary two years ago by renewing our Wedding Vows on a cruise with our two adult children.
It came as a complete shock when at the age of 52; Carol was diagnosed with Breast Cancer after her first ‘routine’ mammogram in July this year. There is no known history of any cancer on her side of the family. She keeps fit, watches her weight and does everything right. A clear family history is no guarantee against this illness.
We have lived in a small friendly cul-de-sac for the past 16 years, during which time at least four of the households have been struck by this disease, resulting in three people losing the battle, one of whom was very young. Both husband and wife in two of the households have been affected.
I have faced every challenge in life ‘head on!’ Doing ‘nothing’ when faced with adversity has never been an option for me. Unfortunately, this has been an occasion where I could do nothing directly myself other than entrust Carol’s Care to her Consultant Miss Abigail Evans and her fantastic Team at Poole Hospital’s Ladybird (Breast Care) Unit.
I found being unable to directly influence Carol’s situation unbearably frustrating and had to focus that energy doing something ‘for the cause.’ It appears that many fundraisers who do something as big as this for the first time in their life have similar motivations. We both love ‘Live Music’ and I thought the best way to do something positive was to organise a Live Music Event in aid of The Ladybird Unit and Cancer Research UK. Within a week of making the decision, I had booked our chosen Band ‘The Alibi’ hired The Allendale Centre in Wimborne, designed the posters and began promoting the event.
The Alibi appear at The Allendale Centre in Wimborne on 7 February 2015. Doors open at 8pm. There will be a Raffle with some great prizes already having being pledged. Tickets are £10.00 form The Allendale Centre, Stephen Cassidy Guitar Tuition, Poole, direct from The Alibi, or via PayPal Account [email protected]. A £1.75 P&P fee applies for postal orders (Recorded Delivery).
At the time of writing, Carol has had two operations to remove tumors and awaits radiotherapy and drug treatments.
Steve Cassidy
