"A Night To Remember - Lymphoedema Awareness In Lights!"
I am Gemma Levine, author/ photographer. For ten years, I have been solidly working on raising awareness for Lymphoedema, and funds for Research. Ten years ago, I bought out a book with my co-author Professor Peter Mortimer, “Let’s Talk Lymphoedema “. From then onwards I pursued with passion, reaching to all corners of the earth, with various projects of my own creation, simply raising awareness. I published several books, created greetings cards, and calendars and have now put on two major events.
Credit: Robert Harris, Photography, St George’s Hospital.
William Repicci, Professor Peter Mortimer, Gemma, Lady Carol Jenkins, Sir Karl Jenkins and John Suchet
April 20th, 2023, I hired a concert hall in the Royal Academy of Music, London, in order to entertain an audience of over 100 people. I invited Sir Karl Jenkins and Lady Jenkins. I approached John Suchet to be the compare for the evening. This event was conversation with music, with the world’s most performed living composer. Sir Karl’s music has been chosen by The King to be played at his Coronation on 6th May. The audience was indulged, listening to the chosen piece. You could hear a pin drop, the music was so moving. It was such an exceptionally emotional experience to hear such famous music in the presence of the world-renowned composer and to get all his reflections and insights An unforgettable experience.
The evening commenced with Professor Peter Mortimer welcoming the artists and guests. I invited William Repecci, President and CEO at Lymphatic Education & Research Network (LE&RN) USA to be our Guest Speaker.
I spent months reaching out to all my contacts to sell tickets. The Charity of St George’s Hospital received the ticket money together with any donations. All this money amassed, went specifically to Lymphoedema Research. That was my personal objective.
I created an “Awareness Booklet” as a gift for everyone that came to the evening. The first page is a very moving poem by Albert Camus. The following pages of their own personal thoughts, from celebrities. Simon Callow CBE; Dame Judi Dench CH DBE; Lady Annabel Goldsmith; Sir Karl and Lady Jenkins; Dame Prue Leith DBE; Professor James Levine MD PhD; Dame Maureen Lipman DBE; Dame Joanna Lumley DBE; William Repecci; Dr Martin Scurr MRCS MB BS FRCGP FRCP; Dr Miriam Stoppard. MD DSc FRCP DCL OBE; Terry Waite CBE; Zoe Wanamaker CBE; The following pages are photographs and text from 3 of Professor Mortimer’s patients. All these personalities spoke from the heart about Lymphoedema.
Credit: Robert Harris, Photography, St George’s Hospital.
I concluded the evening by relating to the audience, how I felt raising Awareness’ and the fun and joys it gave me to create various incidents that I precipitated. I got some laughter and concluded by saying this was my last event! ( I was lying!!)
I don’t think I could live with myself if I did not continue my work, which I know I am good at. Letters were read out by Dame Judi Dench and by Dame Joanna Lumley that certainly, dotted the i’s and crossed the ‘t’s.
Thank you for listening,
We raised £8,000
Onwards…
LETTERS FROM DAME JUDI DENCH AND DAME JOANNA LUMLEY FOLLOW.
20 April 2023
Dearest Gemma
I am so sorry that I cannot be with you tonight on what is such a special evening for you, but I am with you in spirit.
I know how much time and effort you put into everything you do and you have, practically single-handedly, raised the profile of Lymphoedema so that it is no longer one of those “hidden” diseases that no one has ever heard of and doesn’t want to talk about. You are a wonder!
I hope everyone will have a wonderful evening and dig deep into their pockets so that a cure can be found for this hideous illness.
With much love, as ever,
This was read out by John Suchet
“Without Gemma Levine, Awareness for Lymphoedema would have struggled to take centre stage as it now has, so deservedly and so long overdue. Her constancy, courage and humour have inspired me enormously: when this beastly condition forced her to put aside her beloved cameras, she simply pulled focus, and made sure that the world knows what Lymphoedema actually means, to sufferers, and to us all.
It’s no secret that I love and admire her with all my heart. Now it is our duty to continue to spread the message that she and Peter have made so clear, in black and white, as it were. I salute her, and wish I were there to wrap my arms around her and smother her with hugs and kisses..…lovely guests, please be so good as to do that for me…. and to fabulous Gemma, bravissima!! and gratitude from us all. You are the best of the best.”
Joanna
