family

Light Up A Star For Your Loved Ones This Christmas

Yorkshire’s Brain Tumour Charity have been continuing to support anyone diagnosed with a brain tumour this year. It has been an extremely difficult year for most, and the pandemic has hit the families that the charity support hard. Their support service has seen an increase of 200% whilst donations have reduced by 60%.

The picture was taken at Christine’s granddaughters christening, a few months before her husband Garry sadly died.

This Christmas they are inviting you to Light Up A Star, in memory of a loved one. This can be done at their charity shop and support hub No 31, Otley Road, Headingley, Leeds. Customers can write a personal message on a star to hang on the Christmas tree in the shop window or you can take your star home to hang on your tree.

Whilst you are there you can get a takeaway hot drink and delicious slice of homemade cake, made loving by their very own cake ambassador Dawn. All proceeds go to support people living with or affected by a brain tumour in Yorkshire. You can even do some last-minute Christmas shopping with festive gifts, cards and wrapping paper on sale.

However, for those who don’t want to venture out, the charity has designed a special page online where you can make a donation to light up a star on their Charity Stars page, adding a personal message and also a photograph of your loved one. The page has already raised over £400. You can visit the page here:
https://visufund.com/yorkshires-brain-tumour-charity-stars

Christine Osmond, Trustee and Ambassador for YBTC wrote a message for her husband Garry:

Happy birthday Garry and happy anniversary for the same day, it would have been our 39th wedding anniversary. Love and remembered every day. To live in hearts is not to die 💕💕 Christine

Christine said:
“I have been involved with Yorkshire’s Brain Tumour Charity for many years, ever since I lost my husband with the most aggressive brain tumour. As an Ambassador and now a Trustee for YBTC I have seen the charity evolve over the years.

"This last year has been a struggle for all charities, especially YBTC, but the team have been amazing, carrying on with their fundraising and especially their support to patients and their carers. Support including, virtual support groups, patient grants, counselling and hypnotherapy, benefits advice and one-to-one support and information.

"It’s been an honour to be a volunteer, Ambassador and now a Trustee. I am so passionate about the charity and I will volunteer for as long as I can, in the hope that one day we will find a cure for this dreadful disease."

Jen Aspinall, Community Fundraiser from YBTC, said:
“The pandemic has hit the families we support hard. It has also put a huge delay on the vital research we fund. Therefore, our Light Up A Star campaign is so important.
Any support you can give to help us raise vital funds for families across Yorkshire will be very much appreciated.

"We hope, when it is safe to do so, we can hold our Light Up A Star event at Oulton Hall Hotel, Leeds. The event, to bring families together to remember their loved ones, was postponed due to the Government restrictions this year.”

Please email info@yorksbtc.org.uk for more details on how you can support Yorkshire’s Brain Tumour Charity and donate in memory of a loved one. If you have lost a loved one to a brain tumour you can access support anytime, please visit the website for more information https://www.yorksbtc.org.uk/Loving-Support