Its been almost 3 weeks and still I don't think my shock has worn off! Its taken me a while to process this and the evening of the 10th March, some of you will have seen me sharing this news and I really am not quite sure that this has fully sunk in! What it means and where Rain 2 Rainbow goes next.....
........I was lucky enough to attend a truly Incredible evening in my home city of Portsmouth for an awards event that was tied to celebrating Women for International Women's Day, an award ceremony that gives recognition to the women of Portsmouth for the inspiring work that they do across our city.
I found out some time ago much to my surprise and shock that someone had nominated me for an "Inspirational Women of Portsmouth" Award at the Pamodzi Creatives CIC event to be held in March at our city's glorious Guildhall venue. My shock continued as I reached becoming a finalist in my category 😲
It was an evening of tears, laughter, song, dance, fashion, soul, passion, drive, pain, power but above all complete and utter inspiration and a huge sense of community!
I am proud to be part of a city that recognises its people for truly great things that are being achieved, and to Roni from Pamodzi Creatives CIC for seeing a space and creating it for women to be seen, heard and recognised for those achievements.
I feel extremely humbled and unbelievably overwhelmed to have then been the award recipient and received this award of recognition for the work I do in sharing my story to provide hope, experience of infertility, IVF and Baby Loss and in trying to make a difference for others who are effected by the same situations. Every single nominee and finalist deserved an award and it was an evening listening to so many incredible women whose story's really resonated with me and where there seemed to be a common theme of turning our pain into a power to help others.
I will continue the work I am doing through Rain 2 Rainbow, striving to make it better, bring more and provide more hope and education on a subject that means the world to be to be able to help others in the same space I once stood. Continuing to support Tommy's Charity will also always remain a clear focus.
The pain of our journey never goes away, but if I can make that pain my power and help others then everything will have been worth it.
My mission is to ensure to provide not only the all important hope through my own story and experience, but to educate and normalise the subject which often is still so taboo. I am extremely passionate as many of you know about ensuring the next generation get better educated on their own fertility unlike I was, that we should not only be focusing on avoiding teenage pregnancy and the correct use of contraception, but that we should also be teaching the next generation that they have options and that our fertility as a women massively declines by the age of 35. With the modern living patterns now many women don't consider children until much later in life, choosing a career path first, or other life events which may impact this being possible, such as not meeting the person they wish to settle down with and have children, being in a same sex couple, travelling, other health conditions which could impact their fertility such as endometriosis, early menopause, CFS the list goes on.
Being better educated, talking more around these topics gives all a greater chance to make choices and effect change.
As a final note from me as I step down off my soap box , I would like to say a huge thanks to everyone who has supported me, knows my story, champions me and cheers me on.
Its been an exciting chapter and the last year has proved to me that as women we can sometimes "have it all", being able to continue the work Rain 2 Rainbow strives to do, working an almost full time role in the Technology industry for a company I have and continue to love for the last 16yrs and support my family, this award and the recognition is one I will take pride in achieving as a real milestone mark.