A college student from North Tyneside has created a fitting tribute to her nan, who lost her life to a secondary brain tumour, by illustrating and publishing the short story she wrote before her death.
The charming children’s picture book served as a passion project for Holly Bailey, 18, from Wallsend, who completed the illustrations as part of her college course and has since published it for sale via print-on-demand service Mixam, selflessly donating all proceeds – £5 from each £12 sale – to Brain Tumour Research.
Charlie Crow Goes to Mexico is the touching tale of a young bird who leaves gloomy London in search of sunshine but soon discovers that home is where the heart is.
It’s a tale that resonates with Holly, who describes her nan, Patricia Ann Taylor (pictured top centre, and below, with Holly as a baby and a toddler), as “someone who would do anything to make me smile."
Holly said: "I only had five short years with my nana, but they were filled with warmth, laughter and love.
“One of my clearest memories is of a time when I lost my favourite book. Although she could barely walk at the time, she managed to go all the way to the shop to replace it just to cheer me up. That one act of kindness has always stayed with me, and it perfectly captures the selflessness and love that defined her. She was gentle, creative and endlessly caring. Even now, I feel her influence in everything I do.”
Patricia, a creative soul who worked as a betting shop manager, began experiencing unusual symptoms including drooping, weakness in her arm, and episodes of confusion and memory loss in early 2010. She was misdiagnosed with Bell’s Palsy, before private tests finally confirmed that the symptoms were being caused by a secondary tumour caused by small cell carcinoma, most likely originating in the lungs.
She underwent surgery, followed by chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and when new tumours developed, she endured further invasive treatment. But her condition deteriorated, and Patricia died on 22nd December 2011, aged 64.
“The final weeks in hospital were deeply traumatic and left scars that are still with us today,” said Patricia’s daughter and Holly’s mum, Jacqueline Bailey (pictured top left with Holly), “but what remains strongest is her courage, her love and her determination to keep going. That is what Holly and I want people to remember through this book.”
Holly added: “It felt like three generations of our family were all part of this journey, which was emotional but also healing. I feel like I’ve finally been able to give something back to her, and to keep her legacy alive.”
With each character in the book wearing a hat – a nod to our Wear A Hat Day campaign – Holly hopes the project will not only raise funds but also help shine a light on the need for greater awareness and investment in researching the disease that took her nana too soon.
“If this book can help in some small way by raising money and getting people talking, then I’ll feel like we’ve done something worthwhile. It’s about turning loss into hope,” said Holly.
You can buy a copy of Charlie Crow Goes to Mexico here and help support our fight to find a cure.
