It is a day we have adopted at LauraLynn, and here’s why...
Those two words – thank you - have the power to transform. It has been proven countless times that expressing and feeling gratitude improves our health and happiness, our relationships and friendships, our performance in work and our overall success.
Did you know that incredibly, when we feel grateful, our heart's rhythmic functioning is improved, which helps us to reduce stress, think more clearly under pressure and heal physically. When we are grateful, we flood our body and brain with endorphins that lift and energize us. Which means it’s physiologically impossible to be stressed and thankful at the same time!
When I meet new people and they learn my profession, I often hear a response something like ‘wow that must be a tough job’, or ‘I couldn’t do that, it’d be so hard’. However, the opposite is true.
That’s not to say that fundraising isn’t a demanding job. It is! It is fast-paced, ever-changing, unpredictable and at times, challenging. However, it is also exciting, emotional, inspiring and more rewarding and life-affirming than I can describe. It affords me the honour of witnessing the very best of people each and every day.
As a new parent, I've heard the phrase ‘it takes a village to raise a child’ many times. And it was true, especially by the time my third baby came along just two years and six months after my first! My husband and I simply could not have managed without the tireless love, care and support from our ‘village’. Our children are primarily cared for by us as their parents. However the love and care they receive is made possible thanks to the village of wonderful people who hold them and us in their circle.
At LauraLynn, our Community of Care, our ‘village’, is immense. We are surrounded by remarkable people sharing a part of themselves with us each and every day. The village behind us, is you, our donors.
Reflecting on LauraLynn’s journey, I am reminded that it was really not that long ago LauraLynn was simply a small group of exceptional people sharing their dream to make Ireland a better place for children with life-limiting conditions, and fighting hard to make this a reality.
Now, just over eight years later, here we are supporting over 276 families each year, with a hugely ambitious and inspiring strategy to extend and enhance our care services. You - our donors, our partners, our volunteers – you have made this possible.
I believe people are everything. I love that being a fundraiser offers me the opportunity to work with extraordinary people as we connect people who want to change the world with those who can change it.
So thank you. Thank you for caring so deeply. Thank you for sharing your gift of giving with LauraLynn, and for investing in us. Thank you for putting your trust in me and the incredible team of compassionate professionals I have the honour to work with.
Your support of LauraLynn means more than I can possibly say. I am honoured, humbled, and immensely grateful for you.
Michelle
Fundraising Manager
