Funeral expenses for Christine Gilfillan-Barnes
Donation protected
In memory of Christine Gilfillan-Barnes.
COVID-19 tore our mum away from this world too soon. She was one in a million and had a heart of gold.
In the late 1950s our mum worked as a dental nurse at the 7520th US Air Force Base Hospital, South Ruislip, Middlesex.
She trained as a nurse in the early 1960s. During the 1980s and 1990s, she became a medical technician and worked in many NHS hospitals, but her true passion was for animals.
She dedicated her life to caring for cats, dogs, (many of them fostered) birds, guinea pigs, rabbits, tortoises, mice and fish that she had looked after, cared for and loved over the years.
When her beloved dog Rocky, a German shepherd cross breed, became gravely ill at eight years old, she was told that there was not much hope for him. She took him to the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons for specialist treatment. She nursed him and gave him eight more happy years. He died at the ripe old age of sixteen.
It was our mum's dream to visit the USA and Egypt.
She fulfilled her life-long ambition to visit the USA, as her father was a naturalized American citizen.
She was also captivated by Egypt and visited Cairo and Aswan with her Egyptology class in 1995.
When she was in Egypt, she was told it was unwise to venture out alone, needless to say she didn’t heed advice and went out regardless, she found and visited the Brooke Animal Hospital in Cairo, and it became one of her favourite charities.
Over the years, she went on many demonstrations to try and improve animal welfare. She stood outside London underground stations with her collection tin and flyers for the charity Animal Aid. She donated money when she didn’t have very much to give and spent many hours writing letters to different world leaders, trying to improve the animal welfare laws, especially in countries like Egypt, Sudan and the far East.
She was a vegetarian for over 60 years, a champion and a best friend for animals and wildlife around the world. She gave to so many charities, even when she didn't have much to give.
For the last twenty years, she'd leave nuts outside for the squirrels during the day and, in the evening, little sandwiches by a tree for the local foxes .
She regularly wrote letters for political prisoners via Amnesty International and would always make sure that she had change in her pocket to give to a homeless person that she might pass on her way home. She was a single mum, who always loved us and tried to give my brother and I everything.
I remember years ago when she used to take us to the fun fair, she'd spend the money for the bus fare buying some candy floss for us. She'd walk home pushing us in our pram. Not always the best decision, but her heart was totally in the right place.
She loved to sing and had first started singing when she was just 18 years old. She learnt to sing classical songs in French, Italian and Spanish. The last time she sang was in her amateur singing class in October 2019.
She was completely devastated when she lost her voice at the end of March this year. She tested positive for COVID-19 a few days later.
She had asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)and fought bravely towards the end. She sadly lost her battle on Wednesday 8th April. We lost our mum and the animals around the world have lost a true friend.
She meant the everything to us, and now that she's gone the world seems an emptier place.
I'm trying to raise money to meet the costs of my mum's funeral, which was on the 26th May. The total cost is £4900. The funeral directors have extended the payment deadline, because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the current financial situation.
I have until the 7th of July to try and raise that amount. I am in charge of the funeral expenses.
My mum was the best mum that anyone could wish for and she deserves to rest in peace.
Thank you to everyone that has already donated. Please will you share this post with three other people?
The more it is shared, the greater chance I have of reaching my goal.
Any more donations would be gratefully appreciated.
On mother's day 2018
One of the amateur singing concerts at the Morley College in 2017
With her cherished grandchildren.
Her beloved dog Rocky on an animal welfare march 1995
Fulfilling her dream, inside a tomb in Aswan, Egypt 1995
One of our old dogs Shep with a very young Rocky.
Another cat she fostered
COVID-19 tore our mum away from this world too soon. She was one in a million and had a heart of gold.
In the late 1950s our mum worked as a dental nurse at the 7520th US Air Force Base Hospital, South Ruislip, Middlesex.
She trained as a nurse in the early 1960s. During the 1980s and 1990s, she became a medical technician and worked in many NHS hospitals, but her true passion was for animals.
She dedicated her life to caring for cats, dogs, (many of them fostered) birds, guinea pigs, rabbits, tortoises, mice and fish that she had looked after, cared for and loved over the years.
When her beloved dog Rocky, a German shepherd cross breed, became gravely ill at eight years old, she was told that there was not much hope for him. She took him to the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons for specialist treatment. She nursed him and gave him eight more happy years. He died at the ripe old age of sixteen.
It was our mum's dream to visit the USA and Egypt.
She fulfilled her life-long ambition to visit the USA, as her father was a naturalized American citizen.
She was also captivated by Egypt and visited Cairo and Aswan with her Egyptology class in 1995.
When she was in Egypt, she was told it was unwise to venture out alone, needless to say she didn’t heed advice and went out regardless, she found and visited the Brooke Animal Hospital in Cairo, and it became one of her favourite charities.
Over the years, she went on many demonstrations to try and improve animal welfare. She stood outside London underground stations with her collection tin and flyers for the charity Animal Aid. She donated money when she didn’t have very much to give and spent many hours writing letters to different world leaders, trying to improve the animal welfare laws, especially in countries like Egypt, Sudan and the far East.
She was a vegetarian for over 60 years, a champion and a best friend for animals and wildlife around the world. She gave to so many charities, even when she didn't have much to give.
For the last twenty years, she'd leave nuts outside for the squirrels during the day and, in the evening, little sandwiches by a tree for the local foxes .
She regularly wrote letters for political prisoners via Amnesty International and would always make sure that she had change in her pocket to give to a homeless person that she might pass on her way home. She was a single mum, who always loved us and tried to give my brother and I everything.
I remember years ago when she used to take us to the fun fair, she'd spend the money for the bus fare buying some candy floss for us. She'd walk home pushing us in our pram. Not always the best decision, but her heart was totally in the right place.
She loved to sing and had first started singing when she was just 18 years old. She learnt to sing classical songs in French, Italian and Spanish. The last time she sang was in her amateur singing class in October 2019.
She was completely devastated when she lost her voice at the end of March this year. She tested positive for COVID-19 a few days later.
She had asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)and fought bravely towards the end. She sadly lost her battle on Wednesday 8th April. We lost our mum and the animals around the world have lost a true friend.
She meant the everything to us, and now that she's gone the world seems an emptier place.
I'm trying to raise money to meet the costs of my mum's funeral, which was on the 26th May. The total cost is £4900. The funeral directors have extended the payment deadline, because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the current financial situation.
I have until the 7th of July to try and raise that amount. I am in charge of the funeral expenses.
My mum was the best mum that anyone could wish for and she deserves to rest in peace.
Thank you to everyone that has already donated. Please will you share this post with three other people?
The more it is shared, the greater chance I have of reaching my goal.
Any more donations would be gratefully appreciated.
On mother's day 2018
One of the amateur singing concerts at the Morley College in 2017
With her cherished grandchildren. Her beloved dog Rocky on an animal welfare march 1995Fulfilling her dream, inside a tomb in Aswan, Egypt 1995One of our old dogs Shep with a very young Rocky.
Another cat she fosteredOrganizer
F Mel As
Organizer
England