Patrons of the Fair

Singer

“When I was a university student in America, I studied theatre in hopes of one day becoming a famous actress. It was during this time that I started to work with not for profit organizations. The organization is called Family and Family has a crisis intervention hotline, homeless shelters, shelters for battered women, shelters for homeless and runaway youth, afterschool programs for children and summer camps. I began working with Family in their afterschool program called “Latchkey” and soon after my dreams of becoming a famous actress to a backseat to my dreams of making a difference in world.

 

Latchkey was for children of working parents who had no childcare. After Latchkey I worked with Family’s summer camp for children and then I trained to be able to work on the crisis intervention hotline. I worked with family over a four-year period. Some of my fondest memories of the work I did with Family come from my time on the crisis intervention hotline/walk-in center and at Family House, the shelter for runaway and homeless youth. It was never easy work but always rewarding when you accomplished something.

 

When I came to the Czech Republic 16 years ago I had hoped that I would be able to continue in this line of work however the language barrier prevented it at the time. I worked in English language bookstores and was a teaching assistant in one British school and one American school. It was the closest I could come to continuing to work with children without having language be a problem. In 2000, as my work in schools ended and my music career began to take off, I became more and more known as a singer and my Czech language was improving as well. I still had a desire to work with a charity or agency helping children but the opportunity didn’t arise until the autumn of 2006 when I was asked to be part of calendar to raise money for a project called Medela.

 

I was so happy about this “invitation” because I felt that I could finally help. Language was no longer a barrier and if I could use my celebrity to help people even better. The calendar raised money for children in Peru, Africa, Cambodia and also right here in the Czech Republic. I’ll always remember this because it was my first charity work here in the Czech Republic and I have many fond memories of the wonderful people who worked on this project and I’ll never forget my trip to Peru where I actually met the children who from my small act would receive help.

 

Since then I’ve had the opportunity to help with many different causes. I was part of Roxy’s (the women’s line of Quicksilver) “Keep a Breast” project in 2007 which raised money for breast cancer awareness and prevention in the Czech Republic. Last year I was able to help my favorite organization, UNICEF, with a bake sale and this year I was part of the calendar “Proměny” for Chantal Poullain’s foundation – Archa Chantal. I sang for the concert “Světlo pro Světlušku” this past autumn. Světluška is somewhat special to me because it’s for children who are blind or visually impaired. As a person who has been wearing glasses for 35 years this particular organization is close to my heart. I’ve sung for “Kuře – Pomozte dětem” in the past and will again this year. 

 

These are all small acts in the grand scheme of things but they still help. I think that there are many people who think that they can’t help by doing something small. We may not all be able to be Audrey Hepburn, Lady Di or Angelina Jolie but we don’t have to be. Every great journey starts with one small step and every little bit of help counts.”

Mime, actor, director, dramatist, educator

 

“Like many people, I never thought that cancer could happen to me. So one day when health complications appeared, I did not attach much importance to them. When I finally made it to the doctor’s office after a long delay, the ensuing investigation confirmed the diagnose I was afraid of – colorectal carcinoma with the subsequent creation of colostomy. Prior to my operation, I underwent radiation and chemotherapy which were so exhausting that the thought of death did not seem so terrible. In those moments I thought I could survive with a bag on my stomach.

 

After the surgery it was not easy for me as for each ostomate at the beginning. I had to learn how to use urostomy instruments, take care of my urostomy bag and adapt to new situations. Those first few months of life were very difficult. I had to learn a lot to make up for the fact that my body worked differently now.  

 

After some time I slowly returned to my work – film director Jan Hřebejk asked me to take a role in his movie. I was afraid that I would lack the necessary energy to fulfill the role, but I accepted the offer because his team was well known for creating a supportive film atmosphere. Friends of mine, including Bolek Polívka, were also involved in the movie. In addition, I had some fears about returning to teaching as a faculty member of the Academy of Perfoming Arts in Prague (AMU), but my students accepted me with applause and open arms.

 

Local public opinion was very interested in how I was managing. Journalists approached me to ask about the difficulties of cancer treatment, as well as how I was coping with my urostomy. Readers reacted to the articles very positively and I was asked by the company ConvaTec, which produces instruments for ostomates, to publish my story in a magazine for ostomates called Radim. The idea of using my case to help other ostomates was very appealing. I wanted to show others that life should be taken with humor, and so I began to work with the Czech association ILCO.

 

At ostomate support meetings I shared my experience and answered questions. It was really rewarding to hear that my stories helped other people get through hard times and find the will to keep fighting. Now I travel throughout the Czech Republic and I know that everywhere I will meet friends. I like to give my time and show others how they can live with a urostomy and it does not restrict what we can do. Because I am an ostomate myself, I understand the problems that they face and so can more effectively help them.

 

I gladly agreed to be a patron of the Forum 2000 Foundation’s NGO Market 2011 and I am looking forward to meeting Tonya Graves, other non-profit organizations, and the attendees of this event.”