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Every now and then we see, hear or experience something that really makes us stop and think. Often these experiences are chosen to be kept to ourselves, however when I attended a very heartfelt and inspiring charity event early this week, I was so moved and inspired that I see no better way of sharing this with you.

Shoestrings came from the experiences of Emma Gee, who is currently going through rehabilitation post-stroke after being diagnosed with a congenital AVM (arteriovenous malformation).
“(Shoestrings definition of AVM: Em’s brain was like a heap of shoelaces…one just had a knot in it! All the blood pumped into that…instead of flowing through her normal laces…and the pressure of all that blood going into the one knot meant that surgeons had to clamp it to avoid it bursting!)”

The event I attended last week was to raise money for the stroke foundation who is backing shoestrings 100%. Photo’s were displayed of several people’s shoes & feet, and attached to these were their comments on how stroke has affected them, sometime and somehow – whether this be from their own experiences or of those around them. It was amazing to read of some people as young as seven years of age who have suffered from stroke. A silent auction of donated products was also included to raise additional money for this amazing cause.

It wasn’t until Emma Gee spoke so passionately & positively about her experience that really hit the spot. Not a dry eye in the room, but not for sympathy…for admiration. Overcoming challenges, seeing that the glass if half-full and embracing the fact that life is not ruined, just adjusted accordingly.

“like the trillions of ways one can tie their laces, our journeys have been made up of our individual ways of jumping different hurdles and however we learn to tie them we all end up laced-up and shoestring tight! And shoestrings, are the brilliant way of keeping shoes together”

Keep an eye out for Emma’s book – will be on sale at end of this year.