Monday 29 November 2010

Guest Post: Johanna Eklöf

On the morning of Saturday the 19th of June, I found myself sitting in front of the mirror combing my hair after my shower. The fringe I'd let grow out hung very annoyingly in my eyes, you know when it is in that middle stage of 'not a short fringe' any more and 'not as long as the rest of the hair'! A vision of Helena sprung up in my mind and I knew exactly what to do with it!

During the years I was fortunate enough to know her, she always kept the same hairstyle. She had her long fringe pinned back with an elegant thin clip. I did my hair like Helenas that day, and thought about her through the weekend. I hadn't thought about her for quite some time, but she was there that weekend lingering in my mind. I decided that when Monday comes I'll sit down and look for her online, getting back into contact. I missed her!

I had seen her briefly some years earlier at Kungsträdgården in Stockholm, bumping into her late one evening just outside of the Opera. We had a hug, shared some laughs and promised to meet soon again. It was serendipitous that we ran into each other outside the opera as we have shared some special memories from that place.

When we were around 14 we both did an internship there. We got to know the Opera house inside out. We knew every shortcut through the rehearsal rooms and were the proud key-keepers to Oxögat, a small private room with a little viewing window, above the Minister's balcony. I still remember the lyrics that we heard being rehearsed over and over again from "Der Rosenkavalier" (The Knight of the Rose) by Strauss. When there was no one around we would stand on the stage and play the parts, singing in our very best opera imitation voices. We had so much fun together, giggling like the young girls we were when were when we were stuck in the elevator with Papageno and some giraffes from the Magic Flute ensemble. These are very special memories that we shared, and now they are mine to cherish alone.

Monday June 21st came and I googled Helena. I found her Facebook account, but it was locked. Then I saw that Camilla, a girl from our old middle school at Bodal, was friends with Helena and I read her sad words about Helena. She had passed away only 5 days earlier.

I will never get the chance to meet her again and say hi, but in some ways it felt like she came and said goodbye that weekend just after she'd passed away.

I never got the chance to get to know the young woman Helena, but I will always keep the memory of the young girl I once knew.

All my love,

Johanna

Monday 22 November 2010

Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Week

This week charities in the UK are running a campaign to raise awareness about pancreatic cancer. Pancreatic Cancer Research Fund and Pancreatic Cancer UK are trying to ensure that more research goes into improving early detection and diagnosis and treatment of this often forgotten cancer.

Helena's story underscores the great importance and need for this work. Indeed, the lack of funding for research into pancreatic cancer means that there has been little change in the chances for those diagnosed. Forty years ago 3% of people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer survived five years or more. Today, that figure is still 3%. 

Since this summer Cecilia and I have been raising funds in Helena's memory for both of these UK charities through the Hope Jewellery collection.  Thanks to so many of you supporting us we have managed to raise £240 for Pancreatic Cancer UK and £210 for the Pancreatic Cancer Research Fund. We feel very proud to be able to contribute to their work. 

Please have a look at the charity websites and help us raise awareness! We know many of you made donations this summer after Helena passed away, but if any of you have ideas for any fundraisers you would like to do in the future in Helena's memory let me know. 

Sunday 21 November 2010

Guest Post: Mia Christenson

For those of you who don’t know me I am Helena’s best friend from High School in France.  Already as a seventeen year old she seemed wordly, filled with ambition and effervescent joy.  It clicked between us right away.  We were placed in bedrooms next to each other for two years and our friendship lasted ever since then.

Last November I made a dear visit to Brussels, like so many of you. I remember clearly the morning Helena said at breakfast that if it was to be her last Christmas she wanted to decide how and with whom it would be celebrated!  We smiled at each other despite what she was insinuating.  Because the way she did it, with her back straight, her head held high and with a determined gaze, was like any other day when Helena’s will was demonstrated.  It was effective, wonderfully and typically Helena.  It has become a natural manner that I have acquired over the last thirteen years.  My mother will at times laugh and say “now, Mia you look just like Helena!”

Helena, Mia, Anne & Cecilia during breakfast at Place Stephanie

I laugh often at our crazy adventures, and remember also less happy times that we have shared together.  Today, with a huge sense of loss and with tears of joy I am thankful that I participated in Helena’s life.
Love Mia

Sunday 7 November 2010

Two Chocolate Pots

A few days ago I sat down for breakfast quite late and managed to watch the BBC show Under the Hammer. Its a morning program that follows individuals as they purchase properties at auction and then renovate them, sometimes restoring them to their old glamour.

It was a joy to see the show again because Helena used to love watching this program when we were in Brussels. We would discuss what we thought about the renovations, and Helena would always talk about how she would decorate her home in the future. She had so many different ideas; all of them full of a glamorous yet understated taste that only she could imagine.

When we moved to the English countryside in May Helena and I discovered this adorable little antique shop in the city of Rye. The town is full of them but this one has a particular charm about it. It is just full of sweet little treasures that tell stories of families past. It doesn't have the arrogant air of some antique shops, but instead offers you pretty things that may not be worth much to collectors but may still make your home unique.

On our first visit to the shop Helena found these two adorable little pots decorated with delicate flower wreaths, framed by a gold and pistachio lining. She fell in love with them instantly and purchased them with delight from the very sweet old man who owns the shop. He told us the they were hot chocolate pots from the 1920's and that the porcelain maker was reputable. Helena knew them by name of course.

Helena's Wilkinson Ltd chocolate pots

When we got back to the cottage Helena pulled out the little pots and told me her vision for her new room in London. Its colour scheme was going to be pistachio, gold and mahogany, and she quickly picked out what basic things she needed from the IKEA catalogue. But she was firm that we had to go back to the antique shop and find more little gems that would work with her newly inspired theme. And we did. On days that she was in a lot of pain and there was little I could do to cheer her up, I would drive her to the antique shop and we would delight in new treasures.

It is still a great sadness to me that Helena never got to move into our house here in London and decorate it. After all our little talks day dreaming about it I feel I know what it would have looked like, but I also know she would have added many beautiful personal touches, ones I could never imagine.