La Jewellery, exquisite recycled & handmade

 

by Deborah Miarkowska

EcoChic are delighted to be partnering with La Jewellery, designers and creators of the most elegant recycled silver jewellery in the heart of Wales. 

La’s Jewellery’s ethics are simple. They tread lightly on the land by using !00% recycled packaging. La silver is 70/80% recycled and they pay above the minimum wage, employing people from home so that they are able to create a better work/life balance. Team members that work in the La studios and office are provided with organic home cooked food and fairtrade/organic beverages.

See our latest La ranges HERE

La designs are simple and have a very organic feel and have been presented to the Prime Minister, Eddie Izard, Mel C, Davina McCall, HRH Camilla and HRH Prince Charles as part of their charity work-supporting families and children surviving cancer.

A story of hope..

Within the family of La, a sensitive story has unfolded in the last few years and that is the Founder of La Jewellery’s daughter Annastarzzia has undergone chemotherapy and radiotherapy for Hodgekins Lymphoma Cancer. Today we are sharing Lisa Anne’s story with you, in her own words as Annastarzzia needs you…!

“As you may already know,  Annastarzzia was diagnosed with Hodgekins Lymphoma Cancer at the age of 14 years young”.

“She underwent conventional NHS treatment, which we are sure helped to rid her body of cancer, along with a healthy diet and reduced sugar intake but this treatment can also do much damage to the body, often leaving it infertile or prone to more cancer tumours in the future”.

“Whilst still receiving treatment, Annastarzzia and I embarked on further courses of preventative medicine to help rid the body further of cancer and to empower ourselves as survivors and not to be victims of this horrid disease. I say we because I was determined that as her mother, I would go through any further treatment alongside Annastarzzia, so that I could fully comprehend and support her”.

“I was unable to feel exactly what it was like to have chemotherapy and radiotherapy, not quite knowing what it feels like to see your hair falling out on an hourly basis and how ill the drugs can make you feel, I could only sit there, hour after hour just watching and praying, feeling so helpless and at times completely useless as a mother. You see, it has always been my job, my role, to kiss it better, give a big hug and tell her that it will all be ok … there, there…but on this occasion it needed something more, something powerful”.

“We went over to Spain for three weeks of treatment which was paid for by Bobby’s Fund, a charity set up by a little boy Bobby and his father, to meet with a consultant who recommended 100% raw organic food only and a varied diet of approx. 80 vitamin tablets a day to help support Annastarzzias immune system, so that the body could also do the work of helping to rid itself of cancer”.

Cancer thrives on sugar but cancer hates vitamins of any description. It is also reported, that cancer cannot survive in an alkaline body. Annie has a 38% chance of her cancer returning within a 5 year period, according to statistics.

I am not willing for my daughter to become another statistic, so we are asking for your help … we need to continually raise money to pay for Annies specialised diet of raw organic food (she is now allowed 80% raw and 20% cooked organic food) and vitamins which can cost up to £400 per month, but we are also wanting to get her back over to Spain for more testing and treatment. Our consultant in Spain usually charges £15,000 but is willing to charge Annie only £5,000 for 3/4 weeks of treatment, which will consist of - high dose vitamins daily which can cost up to £200 per week, oils and tinctures, a specially prepared raw food diet of nuts, seeds, berries, salads, fruit and raw vegetables - specialised detox sessions, blood tests that cost around £120 but hold such valuable information that can help the consultant with his curative work.

 I could sit here writing this letter, telling you of all the sad and awful times that we went through as a family, the heartache and the pain, pulling and tugging at the heartstrings and I can assure you that there were many.

The worst time I remember was when the cancer came back for a second time.

It was 3am and we were in the hospital room. Annie was so distressed, her hair was lying all over the pillow. We decided to ask the nurse for a set of head shavers as the clumps left in her scalp were not befitting a young teenage girl.

I stood behind her in a dimly lit room shaving her hair for a second time and wondering if it would ever grow back again … standing behind her crying, sobbing silently, not wanting her to hear my tears fall. I do not believe I have ever felt fear like I did that early morning.

The tears just rolled and rolled and I was convinced that they would never, ever stop… But these worst times can also be the beginning of new strong futures, because when you feel that you have sunk as low as you can take, this is when you come up fighting and boy did we fight…research and more research, never stopping for a moment, wanting to know every little thing possible that there was to do to help save her…and we were determined to WIN.

Let me bring a positive picture to your mind, the amazing and brave children that we were fortunate to have met whilst in hospital, the insight that we have into cancer and its causes and the bond that I have forged between friends, family and my child … Annastarzzia probably knows her body and mind better than anyone, she has gone through so much and achieved great things - someone once said “It takes a whole village to bring up a child”.

What we need… 

We are looking for around 100 people to direct debit £1 per month, that’s just £12 per year to help with our continued fund-raising … Just 100 people willing to support a local lass that herself, has raised so much for charity in her young life.

Would you be willing to donate just £1 per month to help me secure a future for my daughter? You could be be sent one of Annies candles if you sign up as a thank you. We are offering 10 organic candle to the first 10 people that support us - RRP - £15

 Account name: Annastarzzia Dickenson Fund

Account number-12092268, Bank-Lloyds TSB Monmouth, Sort Code-30-95-71

We can help you:

We don’t want something for nothing, for your kind support, Annastarzzia and I would be willing to help YOU, you may need us to work for you for a day, or we could donate one of Annastarzzias organic handmade candles to a local charity of your choice or even be one of those people lucky enough to be invited to Annastarzzias wedding in the future! What better payback could you want? Knowing that in years to come, you have helped save the life of a local girl…it is my dream for Annie to grow into a healthy adult and to be present at her wedding, what else could a mother ask for?

We have had several businesses donate money and local people fund-raising - Louise, Sophie and Lucy raised over £500 inviting friends to donate clothing at a clothes swapping evening, Overmonow school raised over £400, Waitrose and its customers raising over £300, The Somerset Arms raised over £130 on a darts evening, raffle ticket sellers have raised nearly £900, Monmouth Comp raised over £400 and even our local post office men and women have helped financially raising over £200 for Annastarzzia.

Could you do some fund-raising? a car wash, coffee morning, jumble sale or even a naked calendar??? anything would help, from £10 to £100.

 We want to set up a charitable fund to help support other people and children wanting to combat cancer from different angles.

La Vacancy:

We are also looking for a fund-raising co-ordinator to work one or two days per week from the office or from home. Dealing with press and TV, enquires, celebrity departments, chatting with other charities and seeing how we can help them, organising supporters and fund-raisers., helping to auction celebrity items that have been donated to Annies Fund (Elvis guitar, Iron Maiden album, Spice Girl CD etc… Please call on 01600 740385 for a chat.

Presentations:

We were recently invited to Highgrove to present HRH Camilla with some very special jewellery that Annie had designed herself when she was in hospital receiving treatment. This Jewellery - The Jigsaw Collection, has been donated by Annastarzzia to many charities to help them fundraise.
HRH Camilla was very interested and supportive of Annies raw food diet and said that she would be speaking to her son Tom who is a chef, about the issues concerning a proper diet whilst on treatment.

 All money will be donated to Annie’s Fund.

Please telephone 01600 740308 if you can offer support no matter how big or small.

 Be assured that this is not a sad story - Annastarzzia is fighting fit at the moment and the raw food, vitamins and equipment that so, so many of you have helped us to purchase are doing there job, they are keeping her fit and well and FULL OF LIFE!

 Annies hair has grown back and she looks so fit and well but there is always that big cloud that hangs over me as a mother, I need your help to dissipate that cloud and replace it with the biggest ray of sunshine …

 

THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND SUPPORT and thank you for listening X

 Lisa Anne and Annastarzzia xxx

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