Last September, I had the absolute pleasure of joining the adult tappers from Gillies Mar-Jan Stage School to rehearse for the 5th Shine for Sally Dance Extravaganza. This was my third year taking part in this wonderful show.
Shine for Sally is a truly special occasion. It is an incredible dance show in memory of a beautiful young lady, Sally, who sadly passed away from Ewing Sarcoma at just 14 years old.
Sally was diagnosed and treated on Ward 84 at The Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, where she received her Milly Bag. She instantly loved her bag and very quickly named Milly’s Smiles as her favourite charity.
Over the years, I’ve been lucky enough to get to know Sally’s beautiful family, and I feel incredibly privileged to call them my friends. It’s strange, but I truly believe that, in some way, our beautiful girls have brought us together.
The performance itself was spectacular, with talented dancers and singers lighting up the stage across two fantastic shows. A new act this year saw a group of bereaved mums and siblings take to the stage in memory of their children. It was a truly emotional performance that brought the whole room to its feet.
Through all the hard work, passion and love poured into it all, an incredible £8,158 was raised, which has been shared between Milly’s Smiles and Derian House Children’s Hospice.
A huge thank you to Sally’s amazing family for supporting us, for allowing me to be a small part of something so special, and for raising such a phenomenal amount of money.
I know Sally will be so proud of her mum, her dad and her gorgeous big sister.
