A LOT of cakes and the BeeGees

This is my friend Lyndsay:

Lynz is really clever at making yummy and very pretty cakes. It's the main reason we're friends to be honest. All of my friends should be made to pass a cake baking test along with a personality analysis that indicates generosity with the cakes that they make.
But Lyndsay is a particularly special friend. She's one of those that you can rely on, whatever the circumstance. Lyndsay has done the following things in the fairly short 4 years that I've known her:

• organised a baby shower for me
• celebrated my 30th birthday with a surprise little do
• looked after my naughty daughter more times than I can count on a Sunday during Church
• bought me generous birthday and Christmas presents, all of which have been perfect
• given me advice about new babies when I was struggling
• cried with me when I've been sad
• laughed with me when I've been happy
• prayed with and for me
• baked more scones than you can imagine for a Strawberry tea
• helped me with various community events which I'd never have managed without her
• guessed I was pregnant before anyone else

There is a huge amount more I could list but then you'd all want her as your mate too and frankly, I'm not willing to share the cakes.

Anyway, Lynz announced that her contribution to my marathon fundraising was to make some cakes and sell them for Mother's day. Aaah, isn't that nice? Sell a few buns to a couple of mates and donate a tenner to the pot. I bet that's what you're thinking. Well, not Lynz. She had mass production in her head and before you could cream your sugar and butter together, Lynz had taken 25 orders for boxes of 6 cupcakes, all to be ready for Mother's day weekend. That's 150 cupcakes!!! Did I mention that Lyndsay has a gorgeous but enthusiastically lively toddler and an absolutely beautiful 6 month old at home to look after? She is practically superwoman.

Here's some of the finished cakes:

Yum yum yum. I bought a box of 6 for my mother-in-law and helped her by eating them. What a kind daughter-in-law I am.

Lyndsay has managed to raise £250 as a result of her baking marathon for my mad marathon. She is quite literally brilliant.

So if you know Lynz, give her a hug and if you're feeling cheeky, a sloppy kiss. Tell her she's fabulous and incredibly generous. And then try hard not to cry with the general emotion of it all. That's my plan anyway.

I'm sure you can't have missed the distressing footballing news from the weekend. Fabrice Muamba collapsed during a football match on Saturday after suffering a cardiac arrest.
Sudden cardiac arrests are fatal in more than 95% of cases. The key to survival is very early cardio-pulmonary resuscitation and defibrillation (if appropriate). The longer the brain is without oxygen as a result of the cardiac arrest, the more irreversible brain damage occurs. Sadly, brain death is largely responsible for the mortality of those hearts which do start to beat normally again in these sudden cardiac arrest cases.
Muamba was fortunate to have paramedics on hand immediately and received early defibrillation on pitch. Thankfully, the latest press release is that he's doing remarkably well and has woken up and been able to communicate with his relatives. His long journey to recovery is hopefully underway.

Many people don't feel able to perform CPR in the community and this is a tragedy for so many people that are taken so seriously and suddenly ill away from immediate medical help. Chest compressions done immediately really can save lives. The British Heart Foundation has recently launched a publicity campaign about the importance of chest compressions. Here's their video advert:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ILxjxfB4zNk

Who'd have thought that The BeeGees would ever be so useful?! It really is that easy.
Cardiac arrests do happen and they do kill.... unless effective resuscitation is given quickly. You can do it. Make sure you do.
You can also check out the website for more information and training:
www.bhf.org.uk/handsonly


So: in memory of Mark, to raise money for research into heart disease; in celebration of Charlie and to raise money for the vital support BHF nurses give; for training in resuscitation to prevent unnecessary deaths- please donate to:
http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/longrunlizzy

Or bake 150 cakes and sell them to your mates. Whatever's easiest.

Thanks.