The little fella pictured above is the reason I have a charity button over on the right hand side of this blog.Readers from way back will know the story, but I make no apologies for repeating myself if only for the benefit of anyone who is a bit new to TVV.
It's a picture of L, the son of Ctel and its the last image that he used to illustrate one of the most moving and incredible blogs I've ever come across. It's a blog that detailed in quite graphic terms, the L's battle against brain cancer and the effect it had on his parents and the extended family.
Tragically, L lost his battle, and passed away at the end of September 2007. He was a few months shy of his fourth birthday. I was working and living in Canada at the time, and when I found out by visiting the blog, I was totally devastated. I'm not ashamed to admit that I was in tears for hours.
I've always been astonished at the bravery, not just of young L, but also of Ctel for opening up so much of himself over an extended period of time. If you haven't read any of the story, then I would urge you to do so. There are bits that will make you laugh out loud in the same way as any kid growing up has the ability to make adults laugh out loud. There are bits that will make your blood boil with rage as the bureaucracy of health care just gets in the way. And there are many passages that will simply leave you slack-jawed in awe for many different reasons. Click here.
Ctel used to use his Acid Ted blog to ask readers to make an occasional contribution to the Samanatha Dickson Brain Tumour Trust in lieu of downloading the music from his site. All that stopped when he gave up on the blog for a while - but I was honoured when he said he was happy for me to put a button on TVV in the hope of getting some donations.
I've resisted the temptation to often draw attention to the charity, preferring instead to allow the curious to have a peek and perhaps do something.
But today, I want to be a wee bit different.
I want to mark the upcoming third anniversary of L's passing by asking TVV readers to consider making a donation - no matter how small - to the charity. Especially if you've been fortunate enough over the months and years to have found a few songs here that you've downloaded and maybe not then gone out and bought them direct from your record shop or on-line. Or perhaps you've picked up a track that has long been out-of-print....
Think of it as an indirect way to contributing to the costs of bringing TVV your way every day, what with my file hosting subscriptions, the old vinyl I track down in second-hand stores or on e-bay or the time I give up to sit and chunder away at the keyboard. And I promise, I won't ask you agian. Well not until around this time next year anyway.
mp3 : Aztec Camera - Song For A Friend
Thank You one and all.
PS. So that as many folk as possible see this posting, I'm taking a few days off blogging. Will be back one week from today.
8 comments:
Yeah, sure thing mate.
All the love in the world.
x
Hello JC,
when you suffered recently your own loss and talked about Ctel, i wrote on comments how sad i was. It reminded me when i discovered L's passing a few months ago.
Just want to thank you now to put this button.
Jp
JC
As you know from my own blog my own wife died from a combination of lung cancer with secondary tumours to the brain.
Much of my postings continue to reflect my own feelings and experiences from this tragic circumstance.
When I look back I remain in awe at how brave Fiona was from her diagnosis to her passing a few months later.
The music you post often continues to provide me with glimmers of joy from my periods of darkness.
I will be only to happy to make a donation.
HD
My lad was touched by cancer in his eye which meant his right eye was removed before his 3rd birthday...he continues to be my absolute hero with how he copes.
The picture above on this post is heartbreaking and we have to continue to fight this fucking evil disease in all it's forms
this will always be one of the reasons I remain cemented to you and your blog and to ctel and to all of your circle of friends who have found each other through music. because it's not only a kindred love of similar music that holds you all (and me) together, but a sense of humanity and care for one another, many of us who have never even met anyone of us. I realized this before I ever read of little L but it certainly was proven to me by his story and by the community of readers and bloggers who have responded to it. Thank you so much for taking the time to do this. And thank you for being selfless enough to share with us the intimacy of it, xoxo
Thanks for the comments, donations and especially to JC for doing this.
A worthwhile favour asked by an excellent blogger..enjoy the blog immensely and happy to donate (and thanks for all the songs from the past!)
Post a Comment