may I be Frank ?

Emma was born on a perfect spring day in Adelaide. She came to England at the age of 4 and lived her life from then on in a cold and rainy world.

She
From birth a radiant child with an open mind and vivid imagination
Bright clear gaze, warm eyes
Pure skin lightly freckled on her nose in summer
Perfect teeth and poised hands so lovely to hold
Small stature, a fixed wheel biker for maximum control
Spirited in everything from her art to her friends
Alert and responsive to quirky people
Witty humorous and sometimes scathing
Masking her fragile heart with outward show
She came to me last night in a dream still as young but lost forever.

51 today

A year ago today you turned 50. You would not have  been full of self pity and you probably would have kept your real feelings to yourself. This last year well known women in the media with cancer were in the news because they did a Podcast documenting it (what's that? you would be asking). Not many people know now that you were ahead of the game as a Beta tester for Typepad:

 The Guardian picked it up: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2004/feb/16/medicineandhealth.lifeandhealth

We are all missing you as ever.

 

It's poor consolation but at least Emma does not have to celebrate becoming 49 years old in the Trump/Farage era. Did any of us imagine a time like this back in 2003 when she was still here? In 1967 when she was born everyone assumed that the world would always progress in one way or another, not always in a straight line but nevertheless forward. What was marginal and hardly known, Rachel Carson's Silent Spring (1962) on the effect of the indiscriminate use of pesticides seems to have been a mild harbinger of the damage humans could do to the planet that we are now familiar with. That world had less than 3 billion people and now we are nearing 7 billion and rising. When she was one year old we were reading Paul Ehrlich's 1968 book The Population Bomb and feeling guilty about having children. What would you say now Em on finding a climate change denier in charge of the most powerful economy in the world and many people in Britain not knowing how hard it was to bring the countries of Europe together after WW2. What would you have said? What words of comfort would you have found?

What would Emma think of this?

Each time something happens in the family or in the world, we always wonder what Emma would have said about it. She had a way of giving a fresh perspective on all kinds of things.

Today on what would have been her 48th birthday even as she fretted about her looming half century ahead, at the same time she would have taken so much pleasure in the announcement of her sister Meroë's ventures in the world of film and TV at Wellcome Trust: http://www.screendaily.com/news/wellcome-trust-reveals-film-investment-plans/5097240.article          

In a couple of weeks little Eric, her nephew, will be five years old. Sadly he will never know her sharp wit and be bathed in the warmth of her love. But we who knew her are lucky to have had her positive spirit in our lives. Her spirit will endure through us for as long as we have memories to share. 

10 years on

Next week on February 5th 2014 will be the 10th anniversary of Emma's death. For those close to her she is a powerful vivid memory that is with us everyday. We see her, feel her touch and hear her voice and wonder what she would have made of the world today. You can be sure she would have had views that cut through to the truth of it all. Missing you Emma for the beauty of everything you were in your brilliant short life.

Your birthday and ten years ago

Ten years ago we celebrated your 36th birthday in London with all your wonderful friends and work colleagues and the family. You were amazed they all came and felt overwhelmed. You played pool with Nik who was pregnant with baby Emma at the time. It was a fantastic occasion and never to be forgotten. If you were still here we would be celebrating still and you would have been no doubt fretting about your coming half century well before it was due. How we miss you sweet girl. You are always with us.

Poem for Emma

 Wit and humour combined

Skin like cream and roses

Generous spirit

Instant testiness

Artistry and intelligence

Adored for all those talents held together in charming contrary ways.

 Loved for being her and nothing more

An adult before her time

Too much caring for a small sweet girl

Over sensitive to the needs of others

Frustrated by the world’s indifference

Finally tested beyond endurance in ways for which she was well prepared.

Lovely, Brave and Cherished Forever

Emma Candy died of ovarian cancer on Thursday 5th February, 2004 aged 36 years. A wonderful daughter, sister and friend who touched so many with her warmth and wit. She faced her ordeal with great courage and dignity. Her family and friends said farewell at her funeral on Thursday 12th February in Loughborough and remembered her life at a memorial in London in April 2004.

Emma's life is commemorated at: www.emmacandy.com

Goodbye Candygirl

Just to let everyone know that Emma died peacefully early on the morning of February 5th 2004 with her family there. This picture was taken last Thursday as we walked down by the Thames at London Bridge following a bout of shoe window shopping...She was tempted by some furry boots but felt they were a little extravagant. Candygirl was a tough cookie till the end...telling us off for being upset and ordering the nurses around.

This blog was one of the things that made her happy over the last few months. She loved getting everyone's posts as I know you loved reading hers. It would be great if people would like to post their thoughts. I know Emma would have liked to thank you all for your words and support.

We love you Em and will miss you so much.

Meroë, Colin, Linda, Ernest and Rob

I dream of popsicles I dream of popsicles I dream of popsicles

I can't can't or drink anything I hatched a plan that I could get popsicles there might be a a way to get taste to my taste buds via popsicles.