Day 11: A mother’s thoughts #107days

Day 11 was adopted by Shelley Mason. When asked why #JusticeforLB was important to her this was what Shelley had to say:

Justice for LB is important to me because I’m a mum and a human being and what happened to Connor should not be allowed to happen to anyone. Post Winterbourne, it’s shocking to know things are still so bad. Of the 3 families I know who have children with learning disabilities, 2 have made national headlines – my friend Mark Neary and his son Steven and now Sara and Connor. When will people with learning disabilities be treated well everywhere?

I liked that Shelley commented as a mum, and as a human being. This isn’t simply about parents and children, or mothers and sons, it’s about humans and humans, and we’re all a part of that. Anyhow, I digress. I have to admit I was delighted and relieved that Shelley had realised that it was Mother’s Day and she has tailored her post accordingly.

It is Mother’s Day in the UK. Mums all over the country will be receiving cards, hugs and kisses from their children but there is one household I know of, and God knows, there will be thousands of others, where a mum will not receive anything from one of her children. And I can’t really imagine the pain of that scenario.

Shelley introduces LB:

What can I say about Connor himself? I never met him but so wish I had. He was clearly a very funny and witty young man because many a time I’ve laughed out loud at the things his mother, Sara, has written about him. He was not a faceless boy even though we had never met in the flesh. He had depth, he had character and he had passions. Eddie Stobart, lorries, buses and the Mighty Boosh. He was such a real person to me that I took photos of lorries I saw in motorway car parks and sent them to his mother so she could pass them on. So please, before you read any further just take in this one point. Connor Sparrowhawk was a real, living, breathing, laughing young man with the rest of his life stretched out before him.

Describes his time in the unit and reflects on what has come to pass since: A catalogue of falsifications, neglect and shoddiness labelled ‘care’ followed by attempts to pass his death off as ‘natural causes’ and more wriggling than a bucket of eels.You can read Shelley’s post in its entirety here and what more she ends with a Cheesecake Truck, go check it out.

However you spend today, thank you for taking a moment to read this, and remember LB, Sara and the many many other mothers without their children and children without their mothers today. We hope that our collective actions for #107days will prevent another family facing this pain. Thank you.