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Cancer. Lots of people think cancer=death. They think that
once you've cancer, you're a gonner. It is a deadly, horrible disease that pities
no one. I imagine it would be easy to give up and let it take over, to retreat
into a world of sadness, anger, frustration...to think nothing but 'why me?'
'what have I done to deserve this?' 'what has she done to deserve this?' Cancer is hard to face under any circumstances,
especially when it involves a child.
Dealing with cancer is engaging in war. Once you agree to
fight cancer you are agreeing to go to battle, to give everything you have to
make it out the other side. Lily-Mae Morrison is fighting this battle at the
tender age of 4.
Lily-Mae was diagnosed with Stage 4 Neuroblastoma in June
2012.
Its important that I include a bit of info on Neurblastoma
because as it is so rare, very few people know what it is. It is important to make as much noise about Neuroblastoma as possible so that
a cure can be found.
Neuroblastoma is a malignant (cancerous) tumour that
develops from nerve tissue. It usually occurs in infants and children.
Neuroblastoma effects 1 in every 100,000 children in Ireland every year. It is
very rare, and very agressive. Doctors don't know as much about Neruoblastoma
as they do about other cancers because it is so rare.
Everyone thinks the same thought: 'Why?'. Why does an
innocent child have to fight such a battle just to get a chance to live? Is it
divine purpose? Was she chosen to fight this battle because shes the only 4
year strong enough? Unfortunately, that question will never be answered for us.
We'll never know why she has to go through this battle but theres one thing we do know,
shes braver than most adults could ever hope to be.
As Humphrey says 'it's not what they take away from you that
counts-it's what you do with what you have left.'. Cancer has already taken a
lot from Lily Mae, but one thing it
hasn't taken is her spirit. What she has done with this spirit is
phenomenal. She has already managed to inspire thousands of people. This little
girl has changed the world. She has shown us what it is to brave and what it is
to enjoy every minute you have on this earth.
On September 30th 2012 a charity single was recorded for
Lily-Mae in Galway, Ireland. It is a cover of Elton John's classic 'Tiny
Dancer'. As the daughter of two professional ballet dancers and a lover of
dance herself, Lily Mae is our Tiny
Dancer. The single was released last Friday the 23rd of November. Its
number 1 in the Irish Charts at the moment. I was lucky enough to have been
part of this amazing act of human kindness.
This single has shown me how much one person can change the
world. It has reassured me that we as humans are still kind. A choir of over
200 voices(one of them mine) assembled to sing a song for Lily-Mae along with a host of acclaimed Irish singer-songwriters including Paddy Casey, Declan O'Rourke, Mary Black and many, many more. I can honestly say it was one of the best days
of my life. We sang our hearts out for Lily Mae and were rewarded with her beautiful
smile and the humbling tears of her Mother.
I could sit here all day writing about Tiny Dancer. As many
articles have already been written about this amazing experience and have been
read by many, I will instead try to sum it up in 3 words:
1. Moving-Lily Mae's parents's gracious response at the
recording was enough to humble the most conceited.
2. Necessary- We need to raise vital funds and awareness of
Neuroblastoma.
3. Magnificent- We have come together for a Tiny Dancer. She
and her family are not fighting this battle alone, we are all here to support
them and catch them if they fall.
The beautiful Lily Mae and her Mum Judith listen as we sing Tiny
Dancer for them at the recording of the single.
Lily-Mae’s story has had a particularly strong impact on my
life because I knew Lily Mae before she became ill. Not on a very personal
level as she was young but I was aware of her existence from when she was a
mere baby bump. Lily Mae's Mother taught me ballet since i began dancing at the
same age Lily Mae is now, 4. Her Dad also taught me in later years. Having witnessed Lily-Mae bopping around the
ballet studio as a baby and a toddler her story really pulled at my heart
strings. I had to stop dancing to sit my exams etc so i hadn't seen Lily Mae
and her parents in a few years. In my mind Lily Mae was the cute little baba in
the studio. She was the little girl we all envied because we knew she was going
to be one heck of a dancer with those genes.I can distinctly remember the photos
of Lily Mae up on the notice board in the ballet studio after her birth. I did
not know it at the time but the next photograph I would see of Lily Mae would
be of her in Crumlin Children's Hospital fighting the battle of her life.
Lily Mae's Mum professional ballet dancer Judith Sibley is someone I have looked up to from a very young age. I can honestly say she is one of the strongest women i have ever seen in my life. From what I have seen, she is handling this ordeal with exceptional dignity and strength. She is a true representation of what a Mother should be. She was obviously destined to be a ballet dancer as she is an exceptionally talented dancer but what has become apparent to me is that she was obviously destined to be a Mum too. Lily-Mae's Dad Leighton, from what i have seen, has been very strong also. I admire them both and can only ever wish to be half as good at being a parent as they are.
Lily-Mae may not realise
it now but this little girl has shown us how to live. Constantly smiling she
doesn't let cancer get in her way of enjoying life. She still laughs and plays
with her toy dinosaurs, because thats what she likes to do. Cancer thinks it
can take away her spirit, sorry cancer but if Lily Mae wants to play dinosaurs,
you are not getting in her way!
Lily Mae is touching hearts all over the world. Tiny Dancer
is Number 1 on the itunes vocals charts in the Uk, Austrailia and Luxembourg.
The music video on Youtube has over 100,000 views in just a week. The single is
Number 1 on the Irish Singles Chart at the moment and we need to keep it there.
The aim of the single from the beginning has been to be this years Christmas
Number 1. It will be a great Christmas present for Lily-Mae and her family. It
will also raise awareness and much needed funds for Neuroblastoma. We need a
cure to be found so that Lily Mae can grow up to be whatever she wants to be
and so that no other kids have to go through what Lily Mae is going through.
What I want anyone reading this to take from Lily-Mae's
story is to never give up, and to live your life to the fullest. Do what you want to do before
its too late. Smile during the tough times and maybe they won't seem so tough.
Enjoy every second you have on this earth because you never know when your time
may be cut short. Don't be thinking of yesterday or even of tomorrow, think of
right now, live in the moment, because right now, you are infinite.
Tiny Dancer by A Song For Lily Mae is available on iTunes
NOW. All proceeds go to The Sunni Mae Trust and The Neuroblastoma Society.
To buy the single on itunes search 'Tiny Dancer by A Song For Lily-Mae'
PLEASE BUY IT!!!!!!!! No matter where you in are in the world, and please tell your friends about it!
Thanks for taking the time to read this :)
Stay Classy,
L xx
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