‘Goodbye’ Amy
We said our final goodbyes on the 8th April 2015. Hundreds of people turned out, just as she had wanted! I remember her once joking with me, telling me I’d struggle to find somewhere big enough for her funeral, she thought it was funny. But she wasn’t wrong! I’m still overwhelmed by the numbers that turned out to help us give her the send off she deserved, and especially grateful to those who traveled to be there. For me, the highlight of Amy’s day was seeing the 6 boys carry her on their shoulders. I know Amy would have been very happy, and the boys did her proud. Even if it did mean rescheduling GB training in Coventry and a lot of driving that day for 4 of the boys, they didn’t let her down! I will upload the funeral...
Amy’s Birthday
To celebrate what would have been our beautiful girl’s 23rd birthday we had a open house for the day, where friends and family could come and talk about Amy, have cake, light a candle and release a balloon with a birthday message for Amy. All whilst making generous donations. An amazing £600 was raised. Which was halved between Weston Park, and CLIC Sargent. Way more than we ever expected! https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Beth-Usher
POW 2014/15
Amy soon began to level a special relationship with our ‘hockey dad’ David Simms and then came the invitation to join him and Dean at the play off weekend in Nottingham. What a weekend it was! Lots of laughs. The weekend was above and beyond what Amy expected, treated like VIPs, celebrating with the players and families after the win, on the coach back to Sheffield, on the arena balcony, and holding the trophy. Such an experience. Not to mention the drinking until 5am at the Goertzens! Amy was in her...
The Beginning
The Sheffield Steelers played a huge role in Amy’s final time. The journey with ice hockey began in January 2014 when a trip was planned though the Teenage Cancer Unit. There was little interest from the other patients on the ward, other than Tom Flack and Amy, so I got invited me along too. It was a Sheffield Steelers vs. Nottingham Panthers game, and by the first period break, Amy turned to me and said “Oh my God, I love it!”. We then went to every home game, purchasing tickets for the following week as soon as we got home from the last. Amy had been telling the staff at the hospital how much she was loving it, so one of the nurses called the Steelers and arranged a VIP experience at the next game. Mike O Conner, the commercial manager,...
Rosemary’s Head Shave
Rosemary was volunteering selling 50/50 tickets at Steelers games, when, like many others, met Amy, and became inspired by her story and selflessly wanted to do her bit to support the hospital. So on the 21st February prior to the game, Jason Hewitt and Rob Dowd shaved Rosemary’s head to raise an amazing £1,357.00! “Amy’s bravery and strength through everything has been inspiring and she brings out the best in everyone she meets. Even when she’s got her own stuff to deal with, she’s the one to make sure everyone else is OK and it was an honour to do this.” – Rosemary Wilcockson ...
Blight’s Fun Fund
Chris Blight was a Sheffield Steeler the year Amy and I got involved, he and his girlfriend Sarah were huge support to the both of us, and became good friends. Chris moved on to play for Dundee the following season. They remained as supportive as ever, and the day we found out Amy’s cancer was untreatable, I received a call from Chris Blight and Sarah. They said that raising money for the hospital was amazing, but they wanted to help Amy enjoy her final months, and selflessly set up a ‘Fun Fund’. By the the Amy passed it had reached over 5,000....