Helen

Hi, my name is Rob and I’m requesting donations on behalf of my good mate Mark (laptop) and his son Ben who tragically lost Helen, together their wife, soulmate and

Mummy only this week.

Helen was only 47 years old when after a relatively short illness and stay in St Heliers hospital in Carshalton she passed away. Both laptop and Helen work in Londons emergency services and she was a serving Ambulance Paramedic with the LAS. Helen was the very much loved daughter of Sally and John and the twin sister to Bernie who writes this…we grew up closely together in a close knit family with our younger brothers Chris and Steven. In 2000 at the age of 25 Helen was struck down with a rare disease which meant she required a kidney transplant, I happily volunteered, given the opportunity to have my sister back. Over the last 22 years since her transplant Helen has made the very most of her new lease of life and never once complained or has been downhearted.

Instead she was the model patient and helped others requiring transplants. She’s represented the UK in numerous world transplant games as far away as Australia, winning numerous medals for swimming and running. She’s supported St Heliers hospital renal unit and completed open water swims and even swam the channel as a team with other transplant recipients.

Helen made the absolute most of the short time she was given with us and adored Mark and her young son Ben, who had his 6th Birthday while Helen was critically ill in hospital.

Owing to the distance from Laptops home to the hospital he stayed with myself and Toni for the month that she was in hospital. We saw first hand the pain, anguish, hopes and dashed hopes as her treatment progressed. Both I, Laptop and Helen’s family, my family and numerous friends all felt so useless, we so wanted to help in anyway that we could but there was so little that we could personally do. Laptop now has so much grieving to do and still has a life to live, a son to bring up, he still has to work to pay the bills and all of this unfortunately now on one wage. This donation request can’t make everything right again, nothing ever will and nothing will ever be the same again for this beautiful family. What it can do is to alleviate some of the inevitable financial pressure that Laptop is going to be dealing with, it will give him the freedom to spend quality time with his Ben and their families and friends.

Furthermore, this page never goes away, please donate what you can and send your heartfelt messages with it so that for years to come both Laptop, Ben and their families can take comfort from the love and support shown to them at this awful time.

RIP Helen, you were a truly wonderful person and are very much missed. X