Why Telford mum Sophie is planning a Bigger Yellow Friday this week
A mum of four from Ketley, Telford, who raised £1,773 to support children with liver disease on just one day last year is determined to beat that total when she does it all again this week! Sophie Smith was inspired to join in with Big Yellow Friday, the annual fundraising and awareness day for Children’s Liver Disease Foundation (CLDF), as her two-year-old daughter, Luna has the rare liver disease, biliary atresia, and spent much of her first year in hospital.
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“It was a pretty awful time. Luna was so poorly, and this had a huge impact on the whole family,” says Sophie. “We had found CLDF really helpful – not just as a trusted source of information for us and other family members - but knowing that we’re not alone and there are other people out there going through the same as us. Having first- hand experience of what the charity offer made me more passionate about doing something positive myself. So, I decided to join in with Big Yellow Friday, the first Friday in March as a way of giving something back, and also to raise awareness about childhood liver disease.”
Sophie’s fundraising surpassed all her expectations. Support from her children’s school, her dad’s workplace and Primark in Telford where her sister works, added up to a total of £1,773.
“I was surprised and delighted with the total but most of all to be doing something so positive for Luna and other children like her,” says Sophie. “Childhood liver disease is a lifelong condition, and we know that Luna will need support from CLDF as she gets older. So, for this year’s Big Yellow Friday on March 7, I’ve decided I want it to be bigger and better! So far, Millbrook Primary School and the Spar shop in Leegomery have confirmed they are taking part, as are all the ABC day nurseries in Telford. It’s great to have the support of the local community in this way and I’m excited to see what we can raise.”
“Many people don’t realise that liver disease is something which affects babies and children,” says Michelle Wilkins, Head of Children’s and Families Services at CLDF, which has now merged with the British Liver Trust to bring children’s and adult liver support services together. “But every year in the UK, around 400 children are diagnosed with a condition for which there is still no cure. A diagnosis means a lifetime of medical care and the effect on families is devastating.
“We provide those young people and their families with information, emotional support and a united voice. Big Yellow Friday is a great opportunity to raise much needed funds and awareness of these little-known but complex conditions, so we are delighted and very grateful to hear that Sophie has got so much going on in Telford, and look forward to hearing how it all goes.”
Find out how you can join in Big Yellow Friday or for more information on CLDF, visit childliverdisease.org.
