Tuesday 24 July 2012

Talin

Georgia and I like to have a positive focus on Four Letter Birds, but there are times in life when sadness and grief cannot be ignored or glossed over. Today, I am going to the funeral of Talin - a beautiful six year old boy, who passed away just thirteen weeks after being diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour. In his short life, Talin touched an amazing amount of people - he was truly an angel.

For the last few months of his life, Talin and his family stayed at Bear Cottage in Manly, Sydney. Bear Cottage is an initiative of Westmead Hospital and the only children's hospice in New South Wales. It provides both respite and palliative care to very sick children and their families. Remember your collection of Bandaged Bears, that you bought every year when you where at school? Well, this is what you were supporting. And you were not spending your hard earned pocket money in vain - Bear Cottage is an amazing place. I was lucky enough to visit there a few weeks ago, and have nothing but admiration for this wonderful facility and the people who work and volunteer there.

If you would like to know more about Talin's story, visit his Facebook page "Talin's Wish." There you can find out about how the community rallied together in some amazing ways to support Talin and his family throughout this time. Especially Talin's Rose - an association established in memory of Talin, to support those in their time of need and raise awareness. 

Brain tumours are the second most common group of childhood cancers - if you would like to find out more visit the Cancer Council website here.


Talin did have a wish - his wish was for everyone to "be nice."



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