Charity Wedding Dress Ball

[WeddingDressBall]

WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN EXPRESS PERMISSION TO POST THIS CHARITY ADVERT

Charity Wedding Dress Ball

I'm helping to organise a Ball at York Racecourse

In aid of the Neuroblastoma Cancer Society and a 4 year old York girl who has Neuroblastoma Cancer

The dress code is: - your wedding dress/ball gown

It is on 18th September 2004 from 7.00pm

Tickets Cost 40.00 per head and include a 5 course meal and entertainment.

See below details of the little girl we are raising money for:

The Yorkshire Evening Press have also featured an article regarding the ball, please see: http://www.thisisyork.co.uk/york/archive/2004/05/25/york_news_local51ZM.html

Please pass to everyone who you feel would be interested.

Also, further details at www.weddingdressball.com

Many thanks

Emma


Article from the Evening Press, Friday 21st May 2004


Brave Jennifer's an inspiration
by Charlotte Percival

THE bravery of a little cancer patient from York has inspired a major fundraising drive to help other youngsters fight back, just like her.

Four-year-old Jennifer Pickering, of Haxby, was diagnosed with the rare childhood cancer neuroblastoma last October after developing pneumonia caused by her tumours.

She was admitted to St James's Hospital, in Leeds, where she underwent an operation to remove a large tumour in her chest, and five doses of chemotherapy to shrink another tumour in her spine.

Now Jennifer's mum Wendy, family and friends are fundraising to help other children living with cancer.

Mrs Pickering, 27, said she had not suspected her daughter was so seriously ill when she originally took her to the NHS Walk-In Centre, in Monkgate.

"She used to say her legs ached sometimes, but we just thought she was a little girl who wanted to be carried around," said Mrs Pickering.

"It was a shock to discover Jenny had cancer. There are four different stages of neuroblastoma, with four being the most severe. Jenny has stage three. I was told she had a 70 per cent chance of recovery and we started on chemo.

"The doctors don't want to operate on her spine, so she's having scans and they're going to keep an eye on it. It's a bit of an open book at the moment and we don't know if she'll need to have radiotherapy.

"I presume they'll have to operate at some stage."

Jennifer, who attends the Rising Fives playgroup in Haxby, is fed for 12 hours overnight through a special tube which also enables her to take medicines.

"She's inspirational," said Mrs Pickering. "She's taken it all so well, and even laughed about how she hasn't got any hair.

"She understands what's happening to her and she's amazing the way she copes with it all."

Jennifer's sister, Charlotte, seven, and brother Harry, five, have also been affected by her illness.

But their mother said: "They're more than happy to stay with their grandparents when I need to stay in hospital with Jenny, and the support we've had from family and friends has been brilliant."

Dr Adam Glaser, consultant paediatric oncologist at St James' Hospital in Leeds, said neuroblastoma is a cancer found almost exclusively in infants and young children.

Growths arise in nerve cells, which run in a chain down the back of the chest and abdomen.

As part of the fundraising effort sparked by Jennifer's illness, a wedding ball is being organised at York Racecourse for September 18. Guests will be encouraged to don their old wedding dresses or ball gowns and black tie, to raise money for the Neuroblastoma Cancer Society.

Mrs Pickering said: "If people want to help now they can call the Candlelighters Charity at St James's Hospital."

To call the Candlelighters office, phone 0113 2470372; to find out more about the wedding dress ball, go to www.weddingdressball.com

Updated: 10:43 Friday, May 21, 2004

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[Ginger]

fabulous cause. Can't go I am affraid but would love to hear how it went

[titianmac]

Will you be holding another at a later date? I love the idea but wont be married by then and cant see it going down to well if the dress's maiden voyage isnt the wedding!
Even if mr wouldnt attend i'm sure there'd be plenty of us girlies who'd be brave and attend solo or with friends if it was applicable?
Hope you all have a fabnight.x

[WeddingDressBall]

Glad people approve of the idea. The current event has been a huge success so far ... and it's not until tomorrow.

We've sold just over 200 tickets and raised over 3k!

We are hoping to have another event next year. Can I suggest that if anyone is interested in attending next year, you go to our website www.weddingdressball.com and register your interest so we can contact you nearer the time.

Thanks for everyone's support and good wishes. I will update you on the final totals raised in the next week or two.

Best Wishes

Emma Wykes

[titianmac]

... How did it go?!?!?!?!?

[WeddingDressBall]

Well, I'm happy to say the event was a huge success. We raised over 5k and everyone seemed to have a fantastic time.

The other organisers and myself were really lucky to be taken to the event in a horse drawn carriage, courtesy of Elite Carriages in Skipton ... this was out of this world ... 4 brides being driven in the most magnificent carriage I've ever seen through the centre of York ... certainly got people's attention!

We had around 75 wedding dresses there in the end (with people inside them, of course) and the remainder were in ball gowns and suits/dj's (210 attendees in total) so the photos, which will be in the News of the World Sunday Magazine in early November, I'm sure will look incredible.

For anyone who's interested, we're going to be holding another Wedding Dress Ball, for the same charity, on Saturday 17th September 2005, so get those wedding dresses ready!!!!!

Cheers

Emma
x

[titianmac]

I'm so pleased it all went well and you not only had a fab time and turnout but will be doing it again!
One bride and 4 bridesmaids booking a date in the diary as we speak!!!
(if thats not a diet challenge I dont know what is!!! )

Looking forward to seeing the article soon.x
_________________
"It's nice to be important but it's more important to be nice"

[WeddingDressBall]

Brilliant. Would you do me a favour and e-mail me at info@weddingdressball.com and I'll put your name on our 'information about the next event list', just so I can update you when the tickets are available.

The same goes for anyone who's interested, or you can simply go to the website www.weddingdressball.com and register your interest there.

Thanks again.

Emma