Joy as mother back home after weeks of stem cell treatment
A MOTHER-of-three from west Belfast who has a rare form of leukaemia had an emotional reunion with her family after receiving potentially lifesaving stem cell treatment.
Sharon McCloskey (43) was given the shock diagnosis in 2017 after she complained of feeling extremely tired.
Her family and friends launched a successful campaign to find a stem cell donor match, allowing her to have the treatment.
Ms McCloskey returned home this week after receiving treatment in Dublin.
She spent five weeks in Belfast City Hospital before travelling to Dublin for treatment. She then spent an unbearable seven weeks away from her sons, only being BELFAST Fashion Week director Cathy Martin is to champion ethical and sustainable fashion.
The businesswoman, who is also managing director of CMPR, is hosting a Resale Rail Sale event in St Anne’s Cathedral today to increase awareness of fashion and textiles eco-damage.
She is hoping that hundreds of shoppers will come along to the event and see the benefits of reselling and buying second-hand clothing.
Over 70 resellers will be taking part, including vintage stores, charities like Oxfam and St Vincent de Paul, as well as lots of individuals selling off their own previously loved items.
There will also be Stitch Up workshops running throughout the day, hosted by experienced creative curator Ciaran Doran and her team.
Ms Martin wants to make Belfast Fashion Week — which is now in its 28th season — sustainable.
“I have done small reseller events before at both my home and office,” she said.
“To turn my mindset, plus my event, which is usually a fast-fashion paradise, into something focused entirely on sustainable fashion and reselling vintage or previously owned clothes, took a lot of thought, despite the fact that the need able to contact them a few times due to a lack of mobile phone reception in her hospital room.
Sharon told the Belfast Telegraph she has to wait 100 days and go through a raft of medical tests to see if the transplant has been a success.
“It was a very emotional day
Raising awareness: Cathy Martin
was glaring me in the face.” Her change of heart came after being taught about sustainability in fashion during a summer programme at Conde Nast College, part of British Vogue, in 2017 and recently reading Fashionopolis by Dana Thomas.
Ms Martin added: “I’d started working in the textiles industry around 15 years ago, so had seen the massive amounts of water, dye and energy used to create fibres and fabrics.
“But I didn’t really consider the end game and the massively damaging effect on the environment so much, until recently.
“I did some research and got myself educated on the pollution seeing my children and parents again,” she said.
“My boys haven’t had any parents for eight weeks. It’s been tough on them but they have been brilliant.
“I had no tears left after hugging them, I cried so much.
“They are so young and no child should go through this.
“I have a bone marrow biopsy in the next week or so. I have to go to the hospital twice a week at the moment for bloods and check-ups.”
Family and friends launched the ‘Save Our Sunflower’ campaign to support Sharon and her family during their ordeal and raise £3,000. Sharon thanked everyone for their support.
Under a post of Sharon being reunited with her family, they said: “Mummy and babies back together. Parents and even those of you who aren’t parents will
Fashion Week resale event puts sustainable clothing in spotlight
caused and some really unethical production practices within the fashion and textiles industries.
“I also woke up to our over consumption and the constant need for new.
“The rental and shared economy is booming and fashion can and must join in here.
“The growth of resale — especially online with sites like eBay and dePop, among others — has been one of the biggest shifts in retail in recent memory.”
She added: “It’s wonderful that this growth has been consumer driven.”
Ms Martin hopes today’s event will help to increase awareness of the bigger issues of fashion and textiles eco-damage and show how reselling and buying second hand can help to balance out what has been done and prevent further extensive damage.
She added: “I also want to help further normalise shopping second hand for fashion and provide a platform for those who want to join me.
“I still love creative design and fashion and will still buy clothes and work with retailers, but I will do so more thoughtfully.
“I will check labels and purchase with the planet and long term in mind. And I will try to urge others to do so too.”
The Fashion Week Resale Rail Sale takes place today from 10am until 5pm.
Entry is £3 and tickets are available via Eventbrite.