A note from Uncle Mark
“When you hear people spout such diatribe as “I would rather it were me” and “If there is anything I can do?” the sight of my brother next to his boy’s bed put all such flippancy into context. If Martin could have swapped places he would have done so in an instant.
I can’t explain the emotion of seeing Jacob in that bed. I can’t explain, how even in this state, he seemed more concerned about how everyone else was feeling either. Jacob’s a wonderful boy and his positivity and humour seem to allow him to sail against whatever wind is blowing.
He may not play full contact Rugby again. He may not want to anyway. His enthusiasm for whatever he does though is unbound and if he wants to do something I feel very confident that he’ll do it.
He’ll do it with fervour and passion and he’ll probably do it for someone else too.
This Christmas he bought his cousin Matilda a present and gave her his favourite Shiny Liverpool Match Attack Card and a packet of stickers. Tilly was happy. We then found out it was the only one he had. We thought it was a swap, but no.
“Goodness. Are you sure Dude?”
“Yeah, Tilly can have it”
She then opened her pack of stickers and low and behold the same card. Another handover. Jacobs face was priceless”
Love to you all
Mark x
Jacob and his Grandpa Ian Jones
A message from Charlie
Hi, I’m Charlotte (aka Charlie to Jacob and his family) – I am Jacob’s Aunty. Jacob is my first nephew and he was born before my own boys; so he really was my first encounter with a baby and child, our bond was immediate and started the day he was born and has got stronger as we have got older.
You often hear about these tragic stories of such poorly children and you never really believe it will happen to you or your family, so when it does, the initial shock and constant worry is beyond description, I couldn’t begin to describe or document the feelings and emotions I/we as a family have gone through over the last few months since Jacob’s diagnosis.
We have 5 year old twin boys who fortunately are too young to truly understand what Jacob is going through. We are such a close family and even at the wrong side of 40 have always lived nearby and never really considered moving away, and now I am so glad we consciously made that decision, I simply couldn’t be apart from Jacob at this time. Although we are finding it hard being apart from Jacob while he and his family are in America we understand the reasons he is there and of course I am hoping to fly out as soon as possible.
Jacob is such a caring, thoughtful, confident, selfless, intelligent boy, who has not once moaned about his situation; even post brain surgery when in unbearable pain he didn’t moan and throughout it all he has always managed a smile.
I have learnt so much from Jacob – I had a few minutes of worry about having to go to the dentist a few weeks ago!!?? I soon sorted myself out by thinking about some of the many extremely painful and uncomfortable procedures Jacob has had to endure without a moan or groan, suddenly a trip to the dentist didn’t seem quite so bad!!
Well Colin (Jacob’s uncle, my husband) has just booked my flight to Jacksonville leaving next week – I cannot wait to see Jacob and Oscar (and their mum and dad), and hope I can help in some way while I am out there. Even if its just to offer support, sit with Jacob while he is recovering from his treatment or taking Oscar out for a day away from the treatment centre.
Please donate to make this journey Jacob and his family are currently enduring slightly less fraught and help eliminate some of the financial worries that three months away from work and home will inevitably bring, and more importantly to keep the smile on Jacob and Oscars faces.
Love
Charlie, Colin, Josh & Ollie xxxx