The beauty of Facebook is its ability to dig up gems from your past when you least expect it. One such gem to appear in my Facebook newsfeed is Angela.
When I saw Angela’s face appear on Facebook as a ‘person I might know’, memories of my first year at high school came flooding back. You see, when I started high school Ange was a bit of a guardian angel for me. She probably doesn’t know that…but she was.
My transition into high school didn’t go as well as I had hoped. For some reason my best mate in year six decided over the school holidays that I was no longer worthy of her company, or anyone else in her posse. Consequently, my first few days in high school were confusing, lonely and nerve wracking.
And then along came Angela. With her happy smiling face. Suddenly year seven didn’t seem so bad after all. But like most teenage friends, the tides of life saw us gently drift apart. Until I started to see her Facebook posts about two years ago.
I was intrigued to find out where life had taken Angela. I could see she no longer lived in the town we both went to school and that she had found a life partner and had two children.
But as her updates continued, a terribly sad story started to unravel before my eyes: a story of unthinkable anguish. Angela has faced something that every parent secretly dreads but rarely discusses, preferring to push it back into the deep dark confines of our mind reserved for the unthinkable.
Last year Angela lost her 15-year old daughter Giovanna to ovarian cancer. It took only three months to steal her from Angela’s family. It’s hard to fathom, isn’t it? One minute they were told their daughter and sister, who had shown very little symptoms apart from a bloated stomach, had cancer. Three months later, they were trying to cope with her passing.
Tears have often rolled unchallenged from my eyes, as I’ve read her emotional updates; heart arching words that are often difficult to read as she wrestles to deal with such an incomprehensible and sudden loss.
But recently I have seen hope. Faint glimmers of light shining from a dark place.
While Angela’s Facebook updates are still heartbreakingly sad, there is a renewed sense of determination to somehow make sense of her enormous loss. That Giovanna will continue to live on in the work Angela is now throwing herself into through ‘Giovanna’s Gift’.
Giovanna’s Gift is the culmination of initiatives to help children with life threatening illnesses and their families. From collecting donated iTunes vouchers for children undergoing lengthy stays in hospital, to helping Albury’s Ronald McDonald House get their hands on jumpsuits for their visiting premature babies, to organizing a bunch of people to participate in The Weekend to End Women’s Cancer, a 60-kilometre walk through the neighbourhoods of Sydney.
While I never met her, I have no doubt Giovanna must be bursting with pride as she watches her mother and her family use her story to help others. In Angela’s own words, they do all of these things for one reason only – “so no one else has to walk in our shoes”.
I feel compelled to help Angela tell Giovanna’s story.
Here’s the link to her website Giovanna’s Gift and if there is anything you can do to help Angela to keep the precious memory of her daughter alive, and to help those facing similar battles…please, please do.
Trish says
March 28, 2014 at 1:34 pmSo sad, it is incredible how parents pick themselves up and rally to help others .
Sorry that Giovanna life was taken so soon.
Laura Greaves says
March 28, 2014 at 1:44 pmLovely post, Lisa. Reminds me of a story I did early on in my journalism career about a family who lost their 13-year-old daughter to ovarian cancer. She was a champion rower and one of her final wishes was that her school’s rowing team could have a new boat, which was achieved through fundraising in her memory. That story has always stayed with me. Ovarian cancer is a truly nasty disease, and anything we can do to make women aware of the symptoms is hugely valuable. x
Kim says
March 28, 2014 at 2:09 pmI cannot fathom how unfair life is to take a child. Especially through this hideous disease. As I hear the news this week of a close relatives 9 year old girl being given just weeks to live, I hold my own children just a little bit closer, and perhaps try to not make such a drama out of life’s little hiccups when those around me are suffering enormously. My only conclusion to this unfairness is that somewhere there is a more beautiful place that these fairies are taken to. It is the only way I can put any sense to it. What a brave person Angela is to continue in her daughters memory trying to give to others. Selfless. Thanks for sharing. xx
jodilee hagan says
March 28, 2014 at 4:18 pmHi my names jodilee .Iam Angelas sister Giovannas Aunty .I am so overwhelmed with your words n surport for my sister ,giovanna n family .It really means alot .much love xx
Lisa Lintern says
March 28, 2014 at 6:13 pmHi Jodiliee. I remember Ange talking about you when we were younger. This post was the least I could do. I just hope people visit her website and help out. I’m sure they will. x
Kelly Exeter says
March 28, 2014 at 4:24 pmCannot. Stop. Crying.
I have the hugest admiration for people who can take this kind of loss and turn it into something amazing for the world.
Tanya Thomas (Cridland) says
March 28, 2014 at 5:34 pmLisa that was beautiful, and I hope that no parent ever have to go through loosing a child. xxx
Loretta says
March 28, 2014 at 6:01 pmHave just arrived home from work and did the usual FB check to see what has been happening all day and come across your blog Lisa. What an absolute beautiful piece you have written about Angela. I have known Angela and her family for a very long time and am in awe of how they are coping. I am under no illusion that there are days that they just want to crawl up and not talk to the world but other days they are putting 100% into making sure that their beautiful daughter and sister will never ever be forgotten. I know that because of Angela and her family one day there will be a cure and that will be because of everything they do to honour Giovanna. I just hope that people continue to support their efforts. Thanks Lisa because of people like you, Angela smiles. xx
Lisa Lintern says
March 28, 2014 at 6:11 pmIf I can some way put a smile on Angela’s face, that would make me very, very happy. The good thing to come from this is to see that people really do care. xo