I have often touched upon it in previous blogs such as "my sisters keeper" & "Through a mothers eyes"
But just recently this question seems to be swimming around in my mind again, after a situation was bought to my attention.
As a women, i can understand how amazing the news must be when you are expecting. Having never heard this news personally, unfortunately imagine is all i can do.
I see deliriously happy couples wandering around mothercare as i wander around with my friends as they expect their babies. All picking out their babies 'leaving hospital outfit, a selection of size babygrows for the hospital bag, The perfect Moses basket and the up to date tehnology to monitor the precious life they have created. On the outside everything appears so 'normal'
Through the pain of giving birth, a mother will always say it was worth it just to hold the young life, to meet their child.
The euphoric moment when the physical pain stops and is if by magic your baby is in your arms.
Once the physical pain has subsided have you ever thought there may be an emotional pain so fierce it puts childbirth to shame?
A pain so deep rooted, you fear it will never stop.
The pain i speak of is hearing the earth shattering news that there is something wrong with your baby, something no one person can fix. Not even a Doctor with whom we place so much trust in their knowledge to cure anything placed before them.
Imagine hearing the news that your baby sufferes from Cystic Fibrosis.
Two Words you more than likely have never heard off, do not understand, unable to comprehend what the doctors words are saying, words falling on death ears as you look at your baby and question the fate and mortality of the life you have just bought in to the world.
My parents heard these words back in 1987, the outlook was bleak.
"She wont see her fifth birthday Mr and Mrs Robinson. Im sorry, there is nothing we can do"
Tears falling in a room so quiet they sounded like rain in an ocean. The first few tears that would be shed over the years, enough tears infact to fill an ocean.
As a sufferer i feel i sometimes, that i cope much better than my family. They grieve the life they expected me to have, i however do not grieve, how can i grieve something i never knew.
My life is, and always has been this way. I have never known a full breath so how can i miss it. How can a blind person miss the sun if its never been seen.
Each time i was admitted as a child i would see my parents upset, but never understood it. I was going to that cool place where i didnt have to go to school.
I got to sit in the art room all day being creative and playing with the other children. I always had lots of people come to see me and they always had sweets!
That tube in my arm, well yes it was annoying, but it only hurt when the nurses put medicine in it, but it was ok, i dont know why people cried so much.
I sometimes think the naivety of a child is precious.
I wasnt aware of the facts i just saw a lot of upset.
I never knew my prognosis.
I never knew of the annual meetings my parents had with health care teams discussing my life and my options, nor was i aware that with each year i got older the science and technology behind cystic fibrosis got wiser. Better. More widly recognised. More researchers on the case to make CF stand for cure found!
2014...ok so CF doesn't stand for Cure Found, but it no longer is a death sentance to newborns, infact it is also no longer a death sentance for some people of my generation.
With drugs like Kalydeco widly prescribed, and phase 4 trials of vortex coming up we have every reason to be positive.
The sheer diagnosis in itself has come on leaps and bounds by being included in newborn heelprick testing, some babies are diagnosed and receiving some amaxing medication before they are even showing symtoms of the disease.
Im hoping that parents worldwide as well as the young couple i know of, are being told in a much gentler and more positive way about their childs condition, softening the blow if you will.
I am not in denial that CF is still currently an incurable illness, nor blind to the fact that it is still a tricky and difficult condition to manage. It does have hugely turbulent times but with all advances aside, one main thing newborn sufferes have now....is HOPE!
My aim is still to raise awareness of the disease, without awareness we will not achieve the strides we are hoping for, simply through lack of funding in to the research required.
Im hoping i will continue to be supported in my fundraising efforts, but i ask you for another favour.
To keep in my mind the people that are recieving the news that their baby is a sufferer, bear in mind how it would feel should it be your child, your niece or nephew, granddaughter or grandson.
Thankyou for reading and please feel free to share to raise awareness and make CF stand for CURE FOUND!!!!!
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