It's Kiss-mas!
21 November 2024
Give us a kiss! Spread the love this Christmas. It could help save lives in the North West.
Who do you love?
Today, we've launched a very special appeal - Happy Kiss-mas - and we're asking you to pucker up to help save the lives of local people...
Our chair Eamonn O’Neal, friend and broadcasting colleague of Dianne, explains: “This winter we’re asking people to say a big happy kiss-mas to the one they love.
"Whether that’s someone who knows you love them, someone you have loved and lost, or a mystery someone you would like to meet under the mistletoe this year.
“Whoever you’d like to send a happy kiss-mas to, it’s really simple.
"We have a special online Christmas tree where you can dedicate your kiss-mas bauble to the one you love and then, all those dedications made before 10am on 16 December will also be added to special kiss-mas physical baubles which will be displayed on a tree near to the Dianne Oxberry Rose Garden in Media City, Salford. The baubles will each have a name written on them, reflecting who the dedications have been made for.
“We can’t wait to see them all there twinkling alongside the lights - outside the place Dianne used to love coming to work and was such a well-loved personality.
“And, the most important part is that money raised from donations made as part of the appeal mean we can kiss and tell…more about the symptoms of ovarian cancer. So this Christmas it really is better to kiss than receive…
“Early diagnosis is vital in securing better outcomes as we know all too well.
"It was just 10 days between Dianne being diagnosed on New Years Eve and her tragic death. We want to continue shouting from the rooftops about the symptoms to look out for and the money raised in the name of love really does mean we can reach more people in the North West and hopefully help families have more Christmases together than Dianne’s has.”
According to figures from Ovarian Cancer Action, only three in 10 women diagnosed with ovarian cancer live beyond 10 years. Early diagnosis is an incredibly important factor in improving those figures – something Dianne’s friends and family who founded our charity in her name found out in the most devasting way possible.
Eamonn added: “Dianne was so cheeky and smiley with such an amazing sense of humour. Most of my memories of her are of us howling with laughter about one thing or another – often when we shouldn’t have been.
"She would love the cheeky side to this campaign and it would be brilliant to see lots of people in our region puckering up in her honour. Especially if Christmas preparations are peck-ing your head as much as the kissing puns I’ve been including!
“So go on, give us a kiss or two in Dianne’s honour!”
Businesses or other organisations are also encouraged to say a big happy kiss-mas to their customers, perhaps by dedicating a kiss-mas bauble in lieu of Christmas cards or secret Santas.
To send a Merry Kiss-mas wish to someone you love, visit www.dianneoxberrytrust.org/kissmas
