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Maddie Cresswell, a young carer from Bolton, has raised a staggering £2894 towards CRPS awareness and support at a fantastic fire and ice themed charity fundraiser, last September.
Organised by Maddie and her family, the Fire & Ice Ball was held at Last Drop Village Hotel & Spa, Bolton. Over a 100 people attended the event in a bid to raise money for a good cause.
The name “Fire & Ice” came to Maddie in a moment of epiphany, but it was no less meaningful in representing the pain sensations associated with CRPS; a condition that drastically changed her brother Dillon’s life at the age of 10.
The money was kindly raised on behalf of Burning Nights CRPS Support which is passionate about improving the lives of people affected by CRPS. Maddie was drawn to the charity when they offered her free counselling sessions to support her in her journey as a young carer. She felt they shared the same values and was keen to help others along the same path.
Dillon Wilford was diagnosed with CRPS at the age of 10; a debilitating condition which left him unable to walk and completely dependent on his family. After trying a multitude of unsuccessful treatments, Dillon finally responded to VECTTOR therapy abroad and was slowly able to get some of his old life back.
Maddie vowed to champion for greater CRPS awareness and support to help other children going through the same nightmare as Dillon. His family is well aware that they are amongst the fortunate ones and believe that specialised treatment should be accessible to more people, closer to home and without the heavy price tag.
“We are still fighting - for Dillon and for the other people across the UK and the world - who aren’t recognised with CRPS. We think it’s so important that CRPS is more researched and well known, so that when presenting at A&E, CRPS is considered as a possible diagnosis,” says Maddie.
Tickets for the Fire & Ice Ball were priced at £60 each and included a 3 course meal for guests plus a silent auction, raffle and a heads and tails game. Additionally, speakers shared their own inspiring stories and how they learned to live with the chronic pain condition.
When asked how she felt after the event, Maddie said, “It was so worth it seeing what we raised in the end but also (having) a room full of people…all the people we had told about CRPS, who had never heard of it before.” She goes on to say, “Even if we hadn’t raised any money, just getting all those people in a room to listen…that was probably the main goal. The nearly £3000 (raised) was just a massive bonus.”
Victoria Abbott-Fleming MBE, Founder and Chair of Burning Nights attended the event along with her husband Michael. She applauded Maddie’s efforts and said, “I was honoured to be able to attend the event and give a speech about what it means to the charity to have events like this put on by supporters. The money raised on the night will be going to the counselling and psychotherapy service as that is where the current need is.”
On behalf of Victoria and the entire team at Burning Nights, we would like to express our sincere gratitude towards Maddie and her family for all their hard work and dedication. Your contribution towards our charity is gratefully received and we look forward to collectively building a better tomorrow for those affected by CRPS.
If you, like Maddie, would like to make a difference and help us in our mission to support people with CRPS, we would love to hear from you. There are many ways you can get involved; from taking part in organised events to even organising your own fundraiser. Click here to connect with us and find out more!