We just wanted to write and say a big thank you for our lovely weekend at the Carlton Hotel in Torquay this last weekend. The weather wasn’t the best but there was so much to do in the hotel and around the area that we didn’t suffer (apart from being rained off the Pirates Golf Course at Paignton)!!!
The hotel was very nice and had a lovely pool. The facilities were very good with plenty to do and entertainment in the evening. The restaurant was lovely and the food was very good and plentiful, with alternatives for the children if the main menu didn’t suit. All the hotel staff were very friendly and made us feel very welcome. Somehow you feel ‘wrong’ having a free holiday just because you have a sick child, but nobody made us feel in any way that we were freeloaders. So thank you to all the staff at The Carlton.
And thank you also to the lovely lady at the Babbacombe Cliff Railway cafe who again made us so welcome when we had lunch there on Monday, again all on the house, no questions asked. And the cakes are wonderful!!
What amazed me, as I wasn’t fully aware of how THHN operates, is that all these hotels/businesses offer their service free of charge, out of the goodness of their hearts. It always astounds me just how many good, kind people there are out there, that you only really come to know of when you go through a situation like this.
Jasmine our daughter has just turned 14, and was diagnosed in May 2012 with an inoperable brain tumour. The tumour affects her left arm and hand to the point it has withered considerably due to lack of use. She is undergoing 18 months of chemotherapy which is due to finish this December. We are very hopeful that this will do its job, her tumour we are told will never go away but they do hope to stop its progression and kill the cells.
Jasmine suffers with NF1 (Neurofibromatosis 1) which she was diagnosed with in 2007 at age 8. This is a genetic disorder which is more common than Cystic Fibrosis and yet it is hardly known about. It means that Jasmine will always have a propensity to develop tumours in her body so this fight is by no means over for her. It also has an affect on her behaviour and she has to take tablets in order to maintain a balanced temper. She also displays behaviour on the ASD (Autisic Spectrum Disorder).
It has been a very long year for us and the upheaval of this type of diagnosis and treatments has a massive impact on your family and work life. It is only thanks to these sorts of organisations that we can even dream of having a small break from the routine and have something to look forward to.
So thank you all at THHN and all the local businesses in Tobay who supported our stay.
In memory of Lia, Jasmines first friend in the world of brain tumours, who lost her battle on Saturday 13th April (aged only 12) – whilst we were having our break in Torquay. Life can be cruel…… and we don’t get to choose.
Kind Regards
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