A disabled author made redundant during COVID-19 has written a children’s book to raise funds for a charity close to her heart.
Sara Hornshaw was made redundant during the pandemic as she was unable to work because of her disability Noonan syndrome, a genetic condition that can cause a wide range of distinctive features and health problems.
Sara also has learning difficulties and was recently diagnosed with focal epilepsy. Focal epilepsy seizures affect only one side of your brain and body and tend to be less severe than generalised seizures, which affect both sides of your brain and body. Focal seizures are the most common type of seizures with epilepsy.
Sara has good days and bad days with these disabilities, and can have severe mood swings.
When Sara lost her job she also lost her security and her anxiety grew to the point she didn’t even want to get out of bed in the morning. She was terrified of about losing her dog Minnie and her independence.
She decided to be strong and seek help, for her and her dog Minnie’s welfare. Sara saw a therapist and got coping strategies for her anxiety.
She then decided to use her creativity to write a children’s book, about a cat called Sian and a unicorn called Eirian. The book will be the first of a series called, The Adventures of Sian the Cat and Eirian the Unicorn. This book is called Sian the Cat and Eirian the Unicorn’s Big London Adventure.
Sara said: “I wrote this book because I was always writing stories for my friends. About Sian the cat and my other cuddly animals and my dog Minnie. I decided I may as well write a book for children, and give the money to charity.”
Sara will be donating the profits to The Brain Tumour Charity, a charity which funds vital research into brain tumours. The brain tumour charity supports families and Patients dealing with brain tumours. They aim to make life longer and better for people who have this life-changing diagnosis.
She is choosing the brain tumour charity because some of her friends have been affected by brain tumours. Sara did a bake sale for another brain tumour charity and was shocked by how many people have been affected by brain tumours.
The book is due to be released in late June/early July and it’s hoped it will be sold on Amazon and in local book shops.
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