Magikquilterdesigns

After the death yesterday of Kerryn MacCann and the recent debacle with the blogger who created a web of lies and abused the good nature of many who tried to help her through her journey with cancer I thought hard about what I could do to make this situation better. Unlike the people on her blog who are keen to know the real Kaylee I have no desire to spend any further time on this person whom we know we cannot trust. I have wasted enough time and energy on her and am planning now on actively doing something to help people with cancer or who have someone with cancer in their family.

Shannon is a delightful young man who lost his very short battle with cancer a few months before his sixth birthday. A stunningly beautiful little boy with skin to die for …unfortunately in his case it was the source of his cancer.

Shannon was born with a skin condition called Congenital Melanocytic Nevus/Naevus.

It eventually turned into Melanoma.

I met Erika, Shannon’s mother several weeks ago when she joined one of my quilting groups on flickr and she left a message in the discussion area to introduce herself. We made each other contacts and as I flicked through her photostream I saw her beautiful little boy and asked her for more information about him. She gave me the links which show him having the time of his life with the Defence Forces and also mentioned the charity, Shannon’s Army, which they have set up to make and distribute quilts and cushions to patients with cancer and to families where someone has cancer.

I have decided to make up at least fifty percent of my spare fabric into quilt tops which the group of ladies there and at other charities for cancer and various illnesses will complete into lovely cuddly quilts. This is also good for me as not only do I feel I am doing something positive it helps me as I have not been making larger quilts for some time due to the pain from my spinal nerve condition being so severe. This way I still get the distraction…which is why I started quilting in the first place and someone else can finish the quilt off…lots of people actually prefer the quilting you see. I adore the planning and the patchwork part of it!

Erika kindly gave me permission to blog about this ….she was most distressed to hear about Kaylee. I ask all who read this now who said they look forward to getting to know Kaylee better to consider what is the ultimate good that can come from being her friend. Maybe you could find someone in life off the computer who needs an actual visit …it would be so rewarding and you would get tangible proof of the impact of your visits…which let us face it it is hard to have online. If you cannot do that then perhaps if you are crafty you could find a charity like Shannon’s in your own country and help in some way. I do ask however that you look at that little face and consider the very real anguish that living without him brings Erika and her family and ask yourselves if you can in good conscience support someone who wasted so much of your valuable time and energy. We have been fortunate enough to live past six years of age… isn’t it an obscenity to not use our precious time wisely?