Please Read...

[MartinB]

Kian’s Story

Kian was one of the first children to visit Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice. He has lissencephaly stroke polymicrogyria, epilepsy and cerebral palsy. This means he can’t talk or walk and has to eat pureed food.

kian

Kian’s parents explain how Bluebell Wood has helped their family.

“Kian is a happy sociable child, and always has a smile on his face. He’s our baby and has got a million and one fans, and he absolutely loves football. However, he has very specific medical needs, which can sometimes be exhausting for our family. Kian often only has 2 hours sleep in a 24 hour period, which can leave us with no sleep, and completely shattered. Because of his condition, it’s difficult for our extended family to care for him, and that’s where Bluebell Wood comes in”.

“Mention the word hospice and see the look on people’s faces, even more so when you add the word children’s. Hospices have a stereotypical image of a place to die. Bluebell Wood is far from this. It’s a place of fun, laughter and smiles. I am a parent of a child who is fortunate to be able to go to Bluebell Wood. I say fortunate, and some might be shocked by this, but they don’t know what Bluebell Wood is all about. It’s an ace place to be, where you can get total peace and tranquillity and a good night’s sleep! We always say we walk out of our house into a home when we go to Bluebell Wood. Kian knows as soon as we turn into the drive at Bluebell Wood, his grin goes from window to window, he gets so excited to be back.

The house and staff are our extended family, and Bluebell Wood offers so much more than respite care for us and Kian. They don’t just focus on the child, it’s about the whole family. Our sons Callum and Dan attend the Bluebell Wood sibling groups, where they meet other children with a poorly brother or sister. These monthly groups take the kids out to special places, giving them fantastic opportunities which we couldn’t do otherwise. As Callum says “we have been bowling, to see the Red Arrows, flying aeroplanes, and there is a lot more to come”.

We have also met other families through the hospice, which can help with support and information sharing. You can just look in another mum’s eyes and know exactly what they are going through. Bluebell Wood is a lifeline for our family, if it wasn’t there it would be like losing a family member. Thank you just doesn’t seem enough.

We can all joke about One Direction and signings etc...however if people think DRFC are  a joke for supporting such great charities as this then they are wrong. Even more proud of our club for this....who would think a young spotty kid that can sing and a small football team could help make a REAL difference to peoples lives.

#RTID

[ridgewoodrover]

always been proud  to  be a  rovers  fan, even more so after reading that story.

[rover-n-out]

This is what Louis Tomlinson's signature is all about.

To all those posters who feel embarrassed, who think Rovers are a laughing stock, who think Rovers have sold their soul, etc. etc. etc...................open your closeted, narrow, dispassionate bloody minds and READ THE ABOVE!!

If you still do not think this is the right thing for Rovers to be involved in.........

[roversdude]

As a father to a 6 year old son that has genuinely put tears in my eyes
We should all rally round and support Bluebell if it can put so much joy in the lives of families such as Kian's
Get a grip the rest is, as my wife often reminds me "22 grown men kicking a bag of wind around"

[IDM]

Great sense of pespective

[graingrover]

should be a sticky .... a heartwarming gesture by LT and Rovers.

[drfc1951]

You should try and post that on other football forums,then the fans of other clubs might not be so scathing in their comments.

[RobTheRover]

Exactly right, Martin.  Thanks for sharing that.

[andysly]

Just to help a little I'm trying to raise some money for Bluebell Wood with a sponsored bike ride from London to Newcastle then running the Great North Run.
It'd be great if some of the users of this forum got behind the cause too.
I've been emailed by Shaun Lockwood at the club and he's getting back to me next week to explore some DRFC involvement.
Anyway here's my fundraising page address.

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserPage.action?userUrl=AndySly&faId=321917&isTeam=false

[Chris]

I'm absolutely stunned at some of the comments I've read on Twitter from fans of other clubs. I've seen us called "tinpot", "embarrassing" and that this is a signal of the death of football. No mention at all of the money this will bring into a fantastic local charity.

[IDM]

Chris, the world is full of ignorant t**ts.. I apologise for the language but some folks can't see the real story here.

[roversdaft]

I will always follow Rovers, but it's standing in the crowd listening to what can only be politely decribed as brain dead morons I've drifted across to my other passion which is rugby league. This kind of gesture in a mans sport would bring the house down and every other club would get on board and congratulate you for making those less fortunate than yourselves lives more bearable.
Check out the joining jack foundation, and see the publicity it has gained when all the super league players and bradley wiggins got on board. I hope this brings much needed money to a worthy cause.

Well done Tomlinson, those utter cretins who are having a pot shot are only bitter fools who honestly believe football is life or death and have nothing else to live for should be ashamed of themselves. And that goes to a lot of posters on here who have ruined what used to be the best forum you'll find. Always with good honest banter and a balanced debate.
RTID

[critch243]

The story is about my son thanks to all for taking time read, and maybe understand one of the aims of both Louis and DRFC, to support Bluebell Wood, it's a lifeline to families like ours.. kian will be at the match on Saturday please say hello if ya see us he loves talking to Rovers fans after all he is RTID

[hoolahoop]

should be a sticky .... a heartwarming gesture by LT and Rovers.

+1 I can't believe the negativity from some posters on this great initiative from LT and DRFC for Bluebell Wood.

HANG YOUR HEADS IN SHAME IF YOU ARE ONE OF THESE SELFISH FOLK.

[vanderpanda]

+2. Made sure this was shared on facebook for more people to see, as has JR's daughter.

[godlike1]

The story is about my son thanks to all for taking time read, and maybe understand one of the aims of both Louis and DRFC, to support Bluebell Wood, it's a lifeline to families like ours.. kian will be at the match on Saturday please say hello if ya see us he loves talking to Rovers fans after all he is RTID

Critch

Do you think your so would want to meet Louis in some capacity on the pitch at the keepmoat?  I only ask because I think that if well filmed/edited and produced there could be a be  benefit for all parties concerned. For your son to something I have ways wanted and hopefully meet some of the team too as well as Louis

Their would be he chance to show what the charity do too and of just for your son as well as any other rovers and other finding their is out their. It could be shown on rovers website for free, YouTube, the bluebell website and one direction website

Just an idea. Thank you for sharing your sons life with us all though and it's good to know their is support out there in some form when you need ir

[jucyberry]

This deserves to stay at the top of the page, so..... Bump..   

[RobTheRover]

And again.....

[drfc1951]

I notice that none of the morons who posted all that crap on the forum,the day the story broke have bothered to reply to this.

[Belle-Vue-Ghost]

Great sense of perspective.

Got to admit, although I didn't write anything, I did find it a bit embarresing regarding the signing of Louis Tomlinson.  I think this is mainly due to how it has come across in the press.

"Tomlinson signs for Rovers and will play one game for the development squad".

The quote above is what many people (including me) see.

So glad this thread is here though.  It has opened my eyes and I'm now proud of the club and Louis Tomlinson for this gesture.

[andysly]

I'm going to be doing a Bluebell Wood collection prior to the Bournemouth match or rather Kian's Dad, Tony Critchley, Kain himself and other sons Danny and Callum are going to be collecting.
I'll be riding a static bike for 90 mins from about 13:15.
I'd imagine we'll be set up somewhere between the club shop and bar though am waiting confirmation from the club where they suggest us to go. Also we'll need a bad weather position if the day isn't pleasant.
Please come along and offer some support.

Cheers Andy

[andysly]

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserPage.action?userUrl=AndySly&faId=321917&isTeam=false

[wing commander]

 Well i'll keep my eye out for you and throw some Nuggets in...Bluebell Wood is a fantastic Charity..Weve just lost a little boy in our local community who spent the last few weeks of his life there and the support help and compassion shown by the people at Bluebell wood to him and his family was simply invaluable..So any way the club can help them is more than welcome to me...

[wing commander]

 Well i'll keep my eye out for you and throw some Nuggets in...Bluebell Wood is a fantastic Charity..Weve just lost a little boy in our local community who spent the last few weeks of his life there and the support help and compassion shown by the people at Bluebell wood to him and his family was simply invaluable..So any way the club can help them is more than welcome to me...

[andysly]

Cheers WC,
I've already received over £100 from users of this forum. And have a total of £441 including gift aid altogether.
It'd be fantastic to get towards the £1,000 mark.

[Burger And A Coke]

Great effort Andy!

[andysly]

Thanks