On 21st October 1994 I gave birth to my daughter Emma Jane, it was the happiest day of my life then followed my 3 other children.

When Emma Jane was 10 she developed eyelid myoclonia and as the year went on she developed full blown epileptic fits. It was a very hard time for us all, especially Emma Jane but we managed with her fitting and someone was always there to catch her or or help her sit down. I cared for her which meant we grew very close being together all the time, at school she was bullied but she got through it, she coped with everything and always managed to make us all smile. With her determination not to let her illness get in the way of things she wasn’t allowed to do as a teenager, she was my inspiration, the sunshine to my day.

The day before her 18th birthday came she was so excited, we had arranged everything in pink, she went to bed that night as usual but to my heart break, when I went to wake her on her birthday she had fitted in her sleep and was no longer with us. I never knew how much my heart could hurt until that day, it still does now, but I learn to cope with the pain.

As for her sisters and brother, well they have been so strong, they keep me going. Emma Jane would be so proud of them.

Her funeral had a pink theme. I didn’t work as I cared for Emma Jane full time, the social assistance would not pay for ‘extras’ I wanted for my daughter like a pink coffin and I was therefore left with a big lump sum and funeral directors wanting there money. I didn’t know what to do. I searched the internet and found You Raise Me Up, it took me a while to phone but when I did Jane answered. I told her about it and she took care of everything, I cried on and off the phone and at last I was able to cry for my daughter instead of this big worry of how I was going to pay for her funeral. Jane, her husband and her angel daughter truly are amazing people, I really don’t know what I would have done if I hadn’t found them, I truly can’t thank them enough  xxx

Emma Page – Mother