LET HER LIVER LIT'L LONGER – Jolenes life saving journey
My name is Jolene Anderson. I'm 38 and have Stage 4 Colorectal Cancer. I was diagnosed at 36, 5 months after my second daughter Layla was born. Ongoing symptoms that something wasn't right were repeatedly brushed off as "Oh you're pregnant, it's pregnancy-related symptoms, totally normal." I remember the day so clearly... it was my sister in laws birthday. There's something about the 29th of May.... only 2 years previously on that very day I was undergoing a lumpectomy on my right breast. Having been diagnosed with Breast Cancer 18 months after my first daughter Chloe. Seriously...give a girl a break am I right?
I am writing this today, with the hope you or someone you may know may be able to help me. Help me continue to be a mother to my two, beautiful girls, Chloe 5 and Layla 21 months. To continue to be a loving and supportive wife to my Husband Russ, and a devoted friend and family member to those I love and cherish.
I'm currently undergoing chemotherapy for my Colorectal cancer. The medical delay in diagnosis caused the cancer to spread to my liver. ALL lobes of my liver have little tumours within it. This sadly means the chance of liver resection surgery has never been an option for me. "Chemo for life" I was told. Wow, what a life to look forward to ey?
I've never been one to back down, I trust my own judgement and was determined to find alternatives to this slow and tragic loss of life. Upon my endless research, I discovered LIVE liver transplants for CANCER Patients. WOW, this was exciting! They've been doing this procedure in limited countries, Norway for example have been having success for over 15 years. New York also too, have begun and been extremely successful in this procedure.
I contacted so many Liver Surgeons here in Australia to question them as to why they don't do it?? They all completely rejected the notion - "We don't do that here. No way." I even had one Surgeon LAUGH at me, stating "If we're going to give someone a liver, we want them to utilise it and LIVE!?"
A complete disregard of my life, I wasn't "worthy".
I was disgusted and extremely disappointed at the lack of innovation/forward-thinking from what I thought was a first world country with incredible health services. Turns out I was incredibly wrong.
Along comes Dr. HERNANDEZ, a Liver Surgeon and absolute saint in Rochester New York.
We have been in contact for over a year now. I need to meet strict criteria to qualify for a live liver transplant. So far, thank God, I am all within ranges and have remained progression-free since May 29th 2020. This is MASSIVE, as my cancer has a mutation (brafv600e) and is particularly aggressive. I’m truly blessed to have made it this far and continue to respond to chemo. I need to make it until January 2022 and be 18 months progression-free for Dr Hernandez to do the surgery. This involves a living donor (god bless them!) to donate one side of their liver, whilst I have ALL of mine removed and accept their portion. Each liver (the donor and my new liver) will grow to the size of a normal liver within weeks - incredible! This extends my chance of survival from 5-10% with chemo alone to 85% PAST 10-year mark with chemo and this surgical procedure - that's a substantial difference.
I will have to travel to New York to have this operation done. I will need my family by my side, a carer for the children along with my donors family and a carer. It is a monstrous undertaking I'm attempted to organise as a mum of two small kids, working part-time and undergoing chemotherapy.
I CAN do this and is my only option out of this nightmare. The surgery for myself and my donor doesn't come cheap, as I'm Australian getting medical assistance in another country, no medical insurance is available. Therefore the surgery alone will cost approx $650,000 AUD dollars. Along with surgery costs, there will be added costs of accommodation requirements, living/medical expenses, loss of income and flights. (Money previously raised will go towards this along with paying the bills whilst I recover)
I need to raise this money before April 2022.
It's an eyewatering figure, but it's a figure I desperately need to raise -
I won't have my babies burying their mum before they can even understand the concept of death.
I would love to get this whole process filmed and a documentary created, this will not only provide awareness to help others, but gain hope, fight for their options, and create a real-life success story despite the odds stacked against them. I'd love YOU to be a part of this story, to enable it to happen, be credited and be deservingly appreciated for making it possible.
If you are able, in any way, shape or form financially or know of anyone/any company/organisation that is able to donate towards this mission, you will be helping a loving family remain a family for many years to come, you'll allow two beautiful girls the gift of their mum to live on.
I want to thank you for any contribution and wish to assure you that any funds raised that are not used will be contributed to supporting other cancer patients in need.
So much appreciation, love and respect to you. Thank you for your time and for continually supporting my life.
Bless you all.
Love Jolz. Xxx
Thank you to my Sponsors
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Anonymous
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Diana Leone
Best of luck Jolene
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Anonymous
God bless you and your family. Wish I can be more useful
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Srijana R
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Jess White
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Lisa Carbone
Thoughts and Prayers with you and your family.
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Marianne Zavecz
Sending you lots of love & positive energy.
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Anonymous
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Anonymous
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Anonymous
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Melek Dincer
I hope and pray that you will survive this 🙏🏼
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Cocoon Furniture
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Ansh Consultants
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Anonymous
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Ruby Body
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Anonymous
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Elise Lewis
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Daisy Higgins
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Rachel Bishop
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Sophia Ingrati
God bless you 🙏
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Midfield Group
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Simone Pirrone
🙏God Bless
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Marnie Allamby
Beat this and good luck xx
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Sinead Mcmanus
good luck.
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Pdcd Group
Best of luck with your journey.
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Tracey Muir
Hope all goes ahead and you get more time with your beautiful kids x
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Anonymous
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Anonymous
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Anonymous
Good luck stay strong
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Wendy Bourke
Thank you for sharing your story. Best wishes to you and your beautiful family on this journey.
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Anonymous
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Anonymous
Sorry I couldn't give more
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Lisa Mitchell
Wishing you all the luck in the world, love and prayers.❤️
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Anonymous
Courage Jolene ! You will make it xxx
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Anonymous
We wish you and your family all the best, god bless you.
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Mark Hunter
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Kellie Mcneill
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Anthony Lance
All our thoughts and prayers with you Jolene
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Dana Wood
From one mum to another 💜
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Anonymous
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Sumito Nishidate Gisters
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Tracey Quin
Thinking of you beautiful girl ❤️
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Friederike Robinson
Good luck!!!!
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Jessica Pereira
I wish you all the best fellow cancer warrior, you got this.
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Kym Whitney
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Anonymous
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Anonymous
Good Luck xxx
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Mary Caruso
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Kristy Cavric
My love to you x
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Marina Demetrios
Wishing you and your beautiful family all the best Jolene xx
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Anonymous
Good Luck.
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Anonymous
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Anonymous
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Anonymous
Wish you all the best ❤️
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Anonymous
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Anonymous
❤️❤️❤️
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Anonymous
Praying for you Jolene
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Kylie Euman
Wishing you all the best Jolene 💞
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Anonymous
Wishing you a speedy recovery Jolene and best wishes to you and your lovely family..
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Gothamie Kulatilake
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Anonymous
Thinking of you and your family xx
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Anonymous
Wishing best health
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Anonymous
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Anonymous
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Anonymous
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Alicia Dannock
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Anonymous
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Lisa Carnegie
As a fellow Stage IV cancer patient I send love and strength to you and your family 🌸💗
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Lija Murphy
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Anonymous
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Chelsee Moritz
Goodluck 🤍
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Emma Gay
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Anonymous
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Anonymous
I wish I can help more but I pray that you get cured from this disease.
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Anonymous
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Carolina Visnadi
Praying for you! It will be a success xoxo
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Anonymous
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Anonymous
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Jenna Bills
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Anonymous
God Bless you and your family..
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Anonymous
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Anonymous
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Jen Heppell
Sending our love
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Anonymous
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Farha Deebha Javeed
Our prayers are with you. May you have a happy & longer life with your family.
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Sharon Vu
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Alison Fleming
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Marija Ngati
All the best Jolene Xx
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Lindsay Malone
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Tiziana Contu
Dear Jolene, Sending you Blessings of Healing. have a look at CRISPR. 😍
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Niki Anesidis
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Kim Hawley
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Mitch Wilkinson
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Anonymous
I hope you'll get better soon 😊
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Louise Flourentzou
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Jo Wittig
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Elizabeth Polentakis
Praying for you to get well🙏🙏🙏
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Clinton Smith
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Thekla Varndell
Keep strong! ❤️
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Kapil Basnet
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Chanelle Joyce
Praying for you and your family. May God heal you.
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Bridget Annear
Wishing you all the very best xx
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Ken Leung
Hope you guys will reach the target and all the best with the operation.
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Anonymous
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Anonymous
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Anonymous
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Anonymous
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Meghan Kharel
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Brenda Valencia
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Lisa Fulton
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Saeed Hedayatikia
Wish you speedy recovery 🙏🏻
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Anonymous
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Anonymous
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Anonymous
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Anonymous
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C Rassy
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Chrystel Rassy
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Anonymous
All the best
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Anonymous
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Anonymous
God will bless you
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Stephanie Haak
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Lisa Gibson
Best wishes for the journey ahead 💕
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Dakshi Dahanayake
Hi Jolene, I hope everything goes well and all the very best to you and your family!
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Janette Egan
❤️
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Richard And Kate Vines
With our very best wishes. Stay strong.
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Peter Skinner
Good luck !
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Anonymous
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Alie Chalhoub
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Karen Falcke
I wish you and your family a safe and successful outcome 😘
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Rima Wassef
Wishing you all the best x
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Anonymous
Get well soon ❤️
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Anonymous
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Melbourne Metro Plastering
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Satnam Singh
Everything will be fine
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Josie's Bright Beginnings
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Nek Group
Stay strong and positive 🙏
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Anonymous
Get well soon. Wish you all the very best.
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Anonymous
Get well soon.
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Esra Turan
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Beck Rogers
Really hope this helps even just a little bit! Wishing you well with funding and the operation ❤
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Anonymous
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Anonymous
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Anonymous
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Anonymous
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Lisa Wallace-vroegop
Jolene, I may not know you but I do know your parents and siblings as I’m also from Trafalgar. I wi
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Marion Artis
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Anonymous
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Kellie Mather
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Anonymous
Hope you live a long life and see your beautiful children grow ..
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Anonymous
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Christine Mccrorey
Wishing you the very best as you face your life giving surgery.
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Anonymous
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Anonymous
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Anonymous
May Almighty Allah bless you with healthy life Ameen
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Anonymous
Hope you get your target completed soon and your baby get better
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Anonymous
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Anonymous
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Ilan Janet
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Alistair Howard
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Anonymous
Best wishes for you and your family xo
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Madeleine Mcdonald
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Anonymous
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Anonymous
Here’s hoping you have a full recovery. Xx
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Anonymous
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Anonymous
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Anonymous
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Anonymous
God bless you🙏
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Sim Kaur
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Trinity Luong
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Anonymous
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Simone Clymo
All the best Jolene.
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Anonymous
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Madusha Solanga
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Anonymous
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Anonymous
Good Luck God Bless you and your family.
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Anonymous
All the best wishes for your health and family ❤️
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Anonymous
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Makeview Windows
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Hoa Vo
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Anonymous
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Anonymous
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Jade Meadows
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Barbara Skanavis
Wishing you all the best
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Anonymous
Goodluck
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I saw your story via Facebook and I was truly moved. All the best for 2022. God bless