On their Twinkle Little Star appeal webpage, beautiful singing from a child at Rainbows, Charlotte, who was never expected to speak, is topping the bill; it is guaranteed to warm the hearts of everyone who listens to it.
For all the children who use Rainbows, we cannot be sure of Christmas times to come. The charity is hoping that people will spare a thought for those children whilst they are still with us and make a donation to make Christmas really special.
They said that the video’s little star, Charlotte Blissett, would never talk, but she has overcome all the odds and is singing an emotional version of Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star to support Rainbows. Charlotte will not have an easy life and there will be many frustrations and heartaches along the way, but for her parents, Alison and Michael Blissett, Rainbows is one of the few places they can come to for support.
Charlotte’s mother, Alison comments: “Rainbows is absolutely fantastic. When I need someone to talk to, Rainbows is there. They care for Charlotte, but they also do so much more than that for our family and all the other families they look after. Christmas is a special time for children and I really hope people will be kind and donate to Rainbows at this time of festive giving.”
As a special thank you, Rainbows are giving everyone who donates more than £6 online a special Twinkle Wish Star product.
To listen to Charlotte sing and to donate and to children like Charlotte this Christmas, visit www.rainbows.co.uk/twinkle, call Rainbows on 01509 638000 or post cheques to Rainbows Hospice, Freepost NAT 13561, Loughborough, LE11 2BR.
For parents Alison (34) and Michael Blissett (44), life never slows down. They live in their Fleckney home with their three girls: Georgia (aged 12), Charlotte (aged 9), and Charlotte’s twin sister Lattisha (aged 9).
Born eight weeks prematurely, twins Charlotte and Lattisha were beautiful girls with a happy life ahead of them. At just six months Lattisha was thriving, then life started to take different path for her twin sister. Charlotte had begun having serious and uncontrollable fits. Each one was throwing the family into turmoil, what could be wrong with their baby?
After a battery of tests, and days of nervous waiting, the family finally had an answer. Charlotte’s brain had been damaged by a freak blood clot during the early stages of pregnancy. She had West Syndrome and she was never going to get better.
Getting such severe fits under control became Alison and Michael’s focus in life. They knew the other girls needed their attention; they also knew that each fit would take another little piece of their daughter’s mind away with it. It was a balancing act that no parent should ever have to undertake.
As a mother, Alison could sense there was worse to come. Charlotte could not move properly and Alison sensed that the fits were not the cause. At just two years old, Charlotte was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. She was not going to walk with her sisters and she was not going to be able to speak. Being almost immobile whilst watching her sisters run and play is incredibly hard for Charlotte. One thing makes her life a little bit easier, she can speak…she can sing!
