The heart and art of From Me to You
If you’ve seen our social media recently, you know that we have an amazing community of creative people who donate letters - and we want you to know this community is for you too!
A LOT of us (me included) deal with imposter syndrome, whether that’s around if we can create something as beautiful as the examples shared, or if it’s going to be the right thing to send to someone we love. But writing a letter to someone living with cancer is about how it makes that person feel, and there are so many ways and reasons to connect.
Last week we had two letter recipients whose request for letters really stuck with us, and we wanted to tell you more about this to help you see how your letters make a difference.
I need hope.
For those living with cancer, a letter can deliver hope. It doesn’t have to be a long letter, and we ask our letter donators not to focus on the letter recipient’s treatment - instead just a short and sweet letter like we shared last week can be perfectly timed. It’s about showing a little heart.
At the heart of it all
Letters that get to the point, make us smile, bring a little bit of you along - that’s what really lies at the heart of letting writing. These two examples bring a wry smile, and another way of looking at the world. The recipient can muse on whether those curtains are still hanging, or remember the first letters they wrote as children.
We all have our favourites
You may not realise that the letter you’ve sent, is their favourite. Could one of your letters bring that hope that someone living with cancer needs, that smile on a not so sunny day?
Arty - any way you like
The images above show you that being arty is something that can look very different. You may not have confidence in your painting skills but you might love to select a card that really shines in it’s design. You might have learnt a new skill in lockdown, and you can share that in your cards like Pauline did with this beautiful rainbow. Or if you’re a professional artist, why not donate a little time to your self expression for someone living with cancer? Artist Anne Houghton kindly donates a weekly card to the Donate A Letter programme.
It’s just as much for you as them
Use your letter writing as a space for you to connect to yourself as much as others. It really can be fun - and it really can help you avoid the washing!
We’re so thankful for all the letters and cards that get donated to From Me to You. You truly can and do make a difference to the lives of those living with cancer, no matter what it looks like. Thank you for sharing your heart and art.