New year, new ventures.

Happy new year to all who read mesothelioma and me. It is sad to enter 2012 without some very special people there too but they won't be forgotten, Every time I see a rainbow or a white feather, I will know they are around. 2011 was another year that I had been truelly blessed with. I have met so many wonderful people, had the support of the meso warriors, found more friends who are honest, loyal and helpful. I was most humbled that people I don't even know would help out with 2 trips to Germany and that my close friends rallied together to have an ugly dress night and how much my lovely daughter, Siobhan put into helping the fund raising by making badges and creating a blog for Theo, Theo's holiday fund, How proud I am of her. I hope I can return this to many others.

2012 will bring new ventures, I am about to do something that I have wanted to do since I lost my lovely dad and found out I had mesothelioma, I will be involved in a new charity. This will be for all people exposed to asbestos, pleural plaque, asbestosis and mesothelioma.

We have a name, we have the list of things we want to do and when it is more established I will add more to the blog. We will be starting it as a new project, in Plymouth. If it takes off, it would be so good to see it in many other places.

It is so exciting but at the same time so very sad that people with pleural plaque get so little support. I don't know how anyone can say pleural plaque is not an industrial disease and it doesn't count. My lovely, wonderful dad was disabled by it. His breathing was affected, a once fit and happy man was reduced to having a walking stick and to pace himself. I can remember going in town with him and other members of my family. They went into the shop, he couldn't manage it and needed to sit down so I sat with him. I never understood what was happening until now.

I am so very proud to be a part of something that will help people like him.

I am looking forward to seeing Richard, my son, very soon. He is now living in Ireland with his new family. It will be the first time I will meet his girlfriend and her children. I will be going with Kieran.

2012 is also the year I am going to write my book. This is something that has been said to me many times and I feel tyhe time is right to do it.

I have the title, I can invisage the cover of the book, all I need now are the words : )

I hope it is also the year that Siobhan gets her business underway, she has been working so hard. She has had help from the Princes trust with business classes and a mentor. I want to see it be a success.

Happy new year once again and I hope that the year is filled with love and happiness to all who are affected by cancer.