On Wednesday of last week, (22nd May) we had the pleasure of meeting Janine Shepherd, author of Never tell me Never.  Some professional and diverse businesses set up trade displays at our event, and impressed everyone with their products and services:

We had Akorah products from Spa Sublime, Jewellery from Alexander Paige, Diva Makeup, Torstar stationery products, Nova Employment, Bank of Queensland and the Commonwealth Bank were there along with Minute Man Press, Soothing Care Massage and Melissa Browne author of More Money for shoes.

NADO disability services were represented along with Penrith Performing Arts Centre. We had Adams & Partners, Penrith Contours, Photo 123 and beautiful presentations from Red Lily and Mountain Mist Florists.

Janine Shepherd

Lamrocks solicitors, who also brought along their team members from their Penrith office, demonstrated their commitment in supporting local women by sponsoring the event. To our complete surprise a guest popped up who shared that she was a Lamrock before marriage and that her ancestors who began this company would be very proud of the business. This was a great surprise to the Lamrock guests at the event and to me!

Many of us were familiar with Janine’s story, but the reality and breadth of her experience when this petite and generous woman shared her story was felt heavily in the room. You could hear a pin drop when Janine talked of how she lingered between life and death for a week whilst in a coma and whether she would or could come back to her broken body.

Describing her injuries and lightened with the pun that “she was having a very bad day” certainly stayed with me as did her description of her surgery in which she described how she was virtually opened in half to have her lower back fused together.

I think everyone in the room was touched with her warmth, humour and fighting spirit. Janine’s new book of gratitude was given away randomly to two women in the room, one of which has a brain injury and could relate so much to Janine’s experience. I think we all thought this incredibly appropriate and I acknowledge the courage that took to put their hand up. Janine graciously stayed behind and signed books and took photos with everyone.

It’s an event I will always remember. I must thank Julie Novotny from Photo 123 for taking photos, and the generous businesswomen who donated prizes for the raffle and with everyone’s loose change we raised $300 for NICCUPS in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of Nepean Hospital.

You could hear a pin drop

Until next time, stay happy

Andrea