This 14 February I won't be holding my breath for a Valentine's card from an unknown admirer (though wouldn't that be nice?) But I'll definitely be sending a few. You see, my daughter, Josephine, designed a card that's been put into production and profits from its sale go to help fund Kiss It Better, a charity for research into childhood cancer which I founded with Estee Lauder Companies and Great Ormond Street Hospital. It's the fourth year she's designed one and it's wonderful to see her involved so directly with the charity - if only in a small way - as she was the inspiration behind it...
It was 10 years ago and I was counting the remaining weeks of maternity leave before I had to return to full-time work as beauty director on a fashion magazine. It was heart breaking leaving my four-month-old baby at the nursery the spring of 2002. All that summer her breathing didn't sound right to me but after six visits to my GP I was repeatedly given antibiotics for Jojo's supposed chest infection and anti-depressants for myself. I was told my worries were the usual anxieties of guilt-ridden back-to-work mums. If only...
It was in the September that year that I went to stay at a friend's in Hereford one weekend. After a sleepless night listening to Jojo's rasping breath I went to the local hospital. A nebuliser was administered, then another, but nothing changed so an X-Ray was taken of Jojo's chest. Soon after things began to change. An anaesthetist came in and explained that Josephine was gravely ill and in a critical condition. The X-Ray had revealed a large mass that was pushing against her windpipe. Her oxygen levels were pitiful and she couldn't breathe. We were rushed to Birmingham Princess Diana Hospital then transferred to Great Ormond Street.
She was diagnosed with a stage three Neuroblastoma - a rare form of cancer that affects the sympathetic tissue or nerve cells running from the brain to the adrenal gland, which affects 17 children a year in the UK. We lived on the Paediatric Intensive Care ward at Great Ormond Street for three months undergoing three lots of chemo in the hope the tumour would shrink to an operable size. As the tumour didn't respond, her breathing remained a huge problem and it was decided then she'd better have a tracheotomy to help. Whilst it relieved her breathing, the downside of a trache is that the child doesn't make a sound because their breathing bypasses the vocal chords: You see your child laugh and cry but they are silent. I began a monologue - talking to Jojo all the time about what was going on, making up for the silence.
I would often say, "kiss it better" as she was suctioned, or needles administered to take bloods. I think every mum says it when a child gets a graze or a bruise.
My inspired moment came when I thought I should get one of the big beauty companies to create a lipstick and call it Kiss It Better, and give the profits to Great Ormond Street. It struck me as a way that was inclusive - it was effortless giving - that didn't require grandiose raffles, expensive tickets to balls, hedge fund managers or the addresses of The Times Rich List. It made sense. Every woman has bought a lipstick, this way she could treat herself or a friend to one and help others by doing so.
Jojo continued to have treatment but when the tumour didn't respond she underwent groundbreaking surgery from two surgeons at Great Ormond Street, Ben Hartley and Martin Elliott, who worked together for over eight hours to remove the bulk of the tumour. Jojo responded well. She still has residual tumour in her spine and will go for check ups every year but the oncologists told me I should be more worried about her crossing the road than about cancer. That's amazing.
Just as Jojo got better, I had to return to work. I approached Per Neuman who was the MD of Estee Lauder Companies in the UK at the time, with my idea for Kiss It Better. He listened and he agreed, the simple ways are always the best he said. So Kiss It Better came into being. From its early days in 2004 it's now an annual campaign, which runs throughout February. Lots of brands have come on board but the focus is always about making it accessible for everyone to donate and be part of it.
For example, schools and offices can take part in Bake It Better cake sales and coffee mornings. We have a range of greeting cards each year in Waterstones (you'll find Jojo's there too!) and Clinique, continues to support the campaign by creating a dedicated Kiss it Better product each year in partnership with House of Fraser.
This year, Clinique has created a special NEW Limited Edition Kissable Lip Set featuring four lip products. The set will be sold exclusively in House of Fraser stores nationwide and online during the month of February, with 50% of the RRP going to the appeal.
Josephine's long-term patient check-up is at 2pm this Valentine's, exactly 160 years to the day since the 'hospital for sick children' opened it doors. I like to think of it as the hospital for children getting better. They can. Just like Jojo.
For more information on this year's Kiss It Better campaign and how to pick up your Kiss it Better pin badge to support the appeal please visit: www.gosh.org/kissitbetter
Statistics
- One in every 500 children under the age of 15 will develop cancer, which equates to approximately 1,500 new childhood cancer cases each year in the UK.
- One in nine of those children will be treated at Great Ormond Street
- Cancer represents the highest cause of childhood mortality outside of accidental death.