JUNE NEWSLETTER

Hello everyone and welcome back to the web-site.

Well, I’ve some very sad news to relate this month as my lovely sister-in-law, Carmel Owens, has passed away after ten long weeks spent battling post-operative complications in the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast. Carmel had a brain tumour removed on April 8th of this year, and although we initially thought she was making a good recovery, she suffered a series of setbacks, and died peacefully on June 16th; with her mother, fiance, and family by her side.

It seems so unfair that Carmel is no longer with us, after all she went through, both during this and previous spells in hospital. But still, there it is, so we have no other option but to pick ourselves up and keep going somehow. Carmel had been coping with her illness for almost fourteen years, and although she must have had days when she felt utterly fed up, she always tried to enjoy life, and make the most of things. She was planning a very stylish wedding to Nigel, and she carried on working until very recent times, and she was the nicest and kindest and most thoughtful aunt to our daughter Alice.

Carmel’s courage and sense of optimism over the last few years have been an inspiration to us all. And the problems she faced, almost daily, have put any little worries the rest of us may have had, into very sharp perspective indeed.

Obviously we are all still trying to come to terms with what has happened. Even when someone close to you is seriously ill, you do keep hoping for a miracle. Now all we can hope for is that someday we will be able to look back, not with tears, but with fond memories. All I know is, if there is a heaven, then Carmel is there now, in the best of health at last, and watching over everyone. We all miss you, Carmel. God bless.