From backleft: Oliver (ThymicUK Trustee), Eleanor (Andrews Husband), Marrika (ThymicUK Trustee and CNS), Gabby (ThymicUK member); middle: Karen (ThymicUK Chair and Founder); kneeling: Heidrun (ThymicUK Trustee).

Saturday 23rd April 2022, family and friends finally got together and celebrated the wonderful life of one of ThymicUK’s founding members Andrew Neely, my father.

In the last few months of his life Andrew passionately made fashion jewellery from his hospital bed. He joyfully gave necklaces and earrings to nurses and doctors treating him, as well as friends and family.  He helped to raise money for Blood Cancer UK; after contracting a rare form of Leukaemia in addition to his Thymoma of 7 years.  It would be the leukaemia that would eventually take his life in June 2020.

It was Andrew’s desire that when possible his jewellery would be sold to help raise money for ThymicUK.

Now a registered charity, and now that the world is a little more open than it was in 2020, it was possible to be able to sell some of this jewellery to family and friends.

The sheer amount that he was able to make during his treatment was quite overwhelming when laid out on our display table.  It had been evident too when packages kept arriving from the internet as he ordered more glass beads and other components to make the jewellery.

And that wasn’t even the total of it, much had already been sold or given away.

It’s comforting to know that despite his situation, my dad was able to find a purpose, and joy even, in making something positive for others.  He hadn’t made jewellery before.  He just needed something to do while stuck in hospital, and after some discussion I went about getting the provisions for him to get started, a passionate hobby ensued.

In addition to the jewellery, some people also bought ThymicUK badges and ribbons.  And people were very generous.

I am pleased to say that on the day we were able to raise: £420.20 for ThymicUK.

All of this money will go directly to the charity.  All of the trustees are volunteers, and with no overheads the funds will help us to achieve our aims of: Increasing awareness of rare thymic cancers, increasing and improving research, reducing loneliness and improving access to new treatments.

And I would be amiss not to say thank you very much to all of the kind people who donated on the day.