I never planned to meet Annette.
One of the nurses had given her one of our pouches, and not long after, she left a comment on one of our posts saying how much she loved it, and mentioning that she was still in hospital. Something about her warmth came through even in those few words, so I reached out privately, and we started chatting.
Annette was hoping she’d be well enough to get back onto the unit for her chemo. I told her I’d look out for her, and that if she wasn’t there, and if she was up to it, I’d pop in and see her on the ward instead. And that’s what happened, a couple of times.
I didn’t know Annette for long, but what struck me each time was how bright and positive she was, even when she was so poorly. She spoke about her daughters and her husband John with so much love and pride. Those are the impressions she left me with, and they’ve stayed with me.
When Annette passed, her family asked that donations be made to Loop & Lift in her memory, rather than flowers. I can’t quite put into words how moved we were by that. To be held in someone’s mind at such a painful time, and chosen in this way, is something we’ll never take for granted.
And then people gave. So generously, and in such numbers, that we’ve been genuinely overwhelmed. The response spoke to how much Annette meant to the people around her, and to a community that wanted to turn loss into something lasting.
We want to share exactly what that kindness will do. Our pouches hold ambulatory chemotherapy pumps, the portable pumps that deliver treatment over hours or days. The pouch offers comfort, a sense of style, and a quiet reclaiming of identity, so that someone going through chemo can carry their pump and move through their day with dignity, rather than feeling defined by their treatment. The money raised in Annette’s memory will fund these pouches for patients across our four hospital partners, including West Suffolk, where our paths with Annette first crossed. It means we can guarantee a steady supply of pouches to all four hospitals, without relying on individual donations to keep them going.
To honour her, we’ve designed a pouch in her name. During a recent naming competition, her friend Wendy suggested “Nettie’s Diamond,” the name some of her loved ones called her. It stayed with me, and I knew it belonged to this one. A diamond quilted front, a soft blue body, and a strap full of colour.
Every pouch funded, and every person it reaches, carries something good forward in her name.
To Annette’s family, and to everyone who gave, thank you. For your generosity, and for helping us honour Annette in a way that will go on to support so many others going through treatment.
For Annette. 🩵
Lucy, Liv and everyone at Loop & Lift
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