When we took our daughter Maddy to the hospital after a minor trampoline accident we just thought it was a normal part of childhood. A bump, a bruise and band-aid then we’d be on our way home in no time.
Unfortunately that bump led to a blood test, which in turn led doctors to discover that our daughter had acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.
It’s a day we will never forget. We felt sick. We were devastated. It was like a nightmare that I desperately wished I would wake up from and it not be true. Not our baby girl.
From that moment on our life changed so much. We were in and out of hospital. Some visits were for a few hours for clinic or treatment. Others were for a few days or weeks on end. We relied on our family a lot as we also had a two and a half year old and an eight week old baby boy.
Days in hospital were endlessly boring and of course painful for Maddy, while extremely stressful for us. The only thing that brightened her day was a visit from Captain Starlight, who put a big smile on her face, held her hand and distracted her while she was having procedures.
Towards the end of her treatment Maddy discovered she could have a Starlight Wish – she was ecstatic, and she knew exactly what she wanted to do: meet her hero Bindi Irwin at Australia Zoo.
The wish gave us all something to look forward to. It was an unforgettable day for Maddy and she couldn’t contain her excitement. She had so much fun, seeing so many animals. She even got to pat and feed a rhino.
Maddy with her mum, dad and brothers at Australia Zoo.
Maddy with her mum, dad and brothers at Australia Zoo.
Maddy with her mum, dad and brothers at Australia Zoo.
She was beside herself when she met Bindi, giving her a big hug and having a photo with her. She even got her autograph, and met Terry and Bob too.
I missed the boys so much when we were in hospital with my little princess Maddy so the holiday meant a lot to us all as a family just to be together. My son Cooper especially loved meeting Bob!
Maddy’s Starlight Wish was like a reward for going through what no child should ever have to endure. She talks about the zoo and meeting Bindi every day.
Hospital visits are now something that she looks forward to because she knows that we will go to the Starlight Express Room. The problem is getting her out to go home. She thinks she’s one of the Captains and I am sure she will be when she grows up!
To see the smile that Maddy gets on her face when she spots her favourite Captain across the room is just priceless and for that split second you forget why it is you are there. Starlight has played a big part in helping our family get through what we did.
Thankfully Maddy is in remission now, but my husband and I will never forget her Starlight Wish. It’s hard to put into words the amazing things the special people at Starlight do for families of seriously ill children and their families across Australia.
Seeing our baby smile despite everything meant so much to us and still does.
The Starlight Children’s Foundation is facing a huge challenge this Christmas with $1.2 million needed to grant 185 wishes for seriously ill and hospitalised children and their families around Australia. Each Starlight Wish requires approximately $6,500 in funding and this Christmas Starlight is asking Australians to ‘Join the Mission’ by rallying friends, family, colleagues and staff to donate to the cause.
Giving birth to a defenceless three kilogram fawn a footie field away from a pride of 19 lions could be considered risky. And yet, that’s exactly what a Grant’s gazelle did as we drove through the golden grasses of Tanzania’s Serengeti.
The lions were half asleep in a nearby creek after feasting on wildebeest and as they dozed in the shade of a thorn tree, clumsily swatting flies from their faces with their paws, a gazelle spent five seconds self-delivering her newborn.
Not even a tasty morsel such as a fawn could stir the well-fed lions. Even so, the mother’s sense of urgency, as she licked her fawn clean, was obvious. If any fawn is to survive, it must stand and take its first feed within an hour. A dozen other predators could easily discover its nursery in the grass.
A Grant’s gazelle and her newborn.
As the mother focused on our approaching vehicle, the rhythmic call of the “Go away” bird appeared to be ordering us to move on. “Go away … Go away … Go away,” it repeated petulantly.
After several nudges from Mum, the calf stood, wobbling as it did, before it fell headfirst, somersaulting onto its back, legs akimbo. Time and time again, the fawn attempted to stand and then another bird, the Cape turtle dove, joined in with its soft, insistent song that sounded exactly as if it was saying, “Work harder … work harder … work harder.”
It took 19 minutes for this fawn to stand and feed.
Ten more attempts and 19 minutes later, the fawn took its first step. A minute later, it was suckling, tail wagging. Then, several “aunties” from the nearby herd joined Mum to greet the newborn in what looked like a “gazelle shower”. As our safari vehicle left the scene, the newborn was running circles around its “aunts”. The lions were still asleep without a care in the world.
Watching a birth is fascinating, but a safari is not for the faint-hearted: birth and death are close companions on the African savannah. A few months before our arrival, a cameraman witnessed a newborn gazelle being eaten alive by a male baboon, as its mother stood hopelessly by.
Of all the safari destinations in Africa, northern Tanzania offers prolific game and incredible scenery. The African Rift Valley, a 6000-kilometre long fault in the Earth’s crust, has created one of the most spectacular landscapes the continent has to offer. At the heart of the Serengeti is the Ngorongoro Crater, an old volcano that towers 2400 metres above the surrounding savannah.
The Ngorongoro crater floor.
The Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and buffalo) are found here, as are the Ugly Five (warthog, wildebeest, vulture, marabou stork and hyena). South of Ngorongoro is Lake Manyara, home to a million-plus flamingos. The day before our arrival, the flock decided to relocate from the bay next to our lodge to the other side of the lake – creating a thick pink line in the distance.
Sometimes your luck runs out, as it did for a flamingo when a tawny eagle dropped out of the sky. Talons outstretched, it grasped the flamingo’s back in a vice-like grip. “The corpse crumpled as the eagle lifted it into the sky,” said the father of the family, who witnessed the scene. “In the distance, you could make out the rest of the flock, strutting forward in formation, perfectly in time, like a corps de ballet in pink tutus.”
The next morning as the family was having breakfast on the deck of the lodge, a vervet monkey swung onto their table from a nearby tree and stole a croissant. In a second, the cheeky ash blond primate was back on a bough clutching its prize. This harmless foray initially startled everyone, but soon we were laughing, scanning the tree for more interlopers with our breakfast plates held close.
On safari, the day starts at dawn as you set out in the morning chill to explore the local terrain. Wild animals don’t identify vehicles with humans and, as long you’re down wind, you get very close.
“A truck must look a little like an elephant to most wild animals,” our guide told us. Unless you’re an elephant, I thought. It seems elephants are seldom disturbed by a truck, except if it’s a bull “in musth”, pronounced must. “In musth” is a polite way of saying a bull is looking for a mate, a preoccupation that makes them extremely irritable and intolerant. On the few occasions safari vehicles have been charged, a bull in musth has been responsible.
A troop of baboons and safari vehicle at Lake Manyara.
As it happened, it was an elephant day. On our return to the lodge for lunch, we passed a breeding herd of 120 mothers and calves, most of which preferred the road to the forest. There’s no argument about right of way and needless to say we were late for lunch.
Lake Manyara is one of the few places on this continent where lions, like leopards, take to the trees. Big cats are often seen draped like lotharios on the boughs of the most comfortable trees. These trees are part of a lush forest that thrives between the lakeshore and the Rift Valley escarpment, thanks to a series of fresh-water springs. It would be difficult to beat the game viewing here. It’s ringside seats for everyone with a magnificent scenic backdrop of mountains and the shimmering soda lake.
There is, however, only one place to stay in the national park and that’s the AndBeyond Lake Manyara Tree Lodge, where each bedroom suite is built in a towering tree. Imagine a timber platform with king-size bed, claw-foot bath and porcelain loo half way up a 30-metre mahogany tree, all elegantly wrapped in a secure shell of mosquito wire-netting and banana leaves. Forget the Tarzan vine, entry is by a sweeping wooden staircase.
A mother giraffe and her foal on the Serengeti.
As it’s an open camp, there’s one strict rule: every guest needs an armed escort before dawn and after dusk when walking between their tree house and the main lodge. A Maasai tribesmen, armed with a spear, is provided for each guest. And he is not for show; your Maasai guide knows exactly what to do if you meet a lion. Rule number one is: don’t turn and run – by doing so you appear as prey. Rule number two is: don’t panic. Rule number three is: listen to his instructions. Follow the rules and you’re unlikely to miss dinner … or be dinner.
Maasai tribesman; Ngorongoro crater floor; and a vulture.
The Serengeti is an hour’s bumpy flight in an eight-seater Cesna Caravan over the Ngorongoro Crater towards the Maasai Mara on the Kenyan border. On arrival at the dirt airstrip, a pick-up truck was waiting. “You’ve missed the Great Migration,” said the driver so nonchalantly he could have been talking about the departure of the number 93 bus. “It took off days ago …”
The Great Migration is an annual event that sees two million wildebeest and other grazing animals go “walk-about”. Bizarrely, 10 minutes into our drive, we came across a herd of some 600 wildebeest. “Are these conscientious objectors?” I asked. The driver shrugged. Apparently, not all wildebeest enjoy the ultra-marathon.
A cheetah mother (sitting) greets its sub-adult cub.
The Serengeti in northern Tanzania has rolling hills topped with smooth rounded boulders, some the size of houses. It was in the shadow of such a boulder, we spotted a cheetah family – a mother and her two sub-adult cubs, resting after the heat of the day. The mother was calling her cubs from their separate day beds, meowing softly like a domestic cat. As each cub arrived, it was greeted with numerous licks and nuzzles. In the distance, a large herd of giraffes looked a little like high-rise cranes.
Home on the Serengeti is usually under canvas – a temporary camp of well-appointed tents. The tents at our camp, AndBeyond Serengeti Under Canvas, had mini-chandeliers, on-suite bathrooms with a bucket shower, filled every evening with hot water on our return from the game drive. Dinner was either under the stars or in an open tent, while breakfast was served at a table dressed with linen in the shade of a tree.
A deluxe tent at the AndBeyond Serengeti Under Canvas camp.
It was on the Serengeti, we witnessed a David and Goliath confrontation, when two female ostriches, standing at six foot, six inches, came under attack from two tiny lapwings. The ostriches had strayed too close to the birds’ ground nest and were in danger of crushing the eggs. Fearlessly, the lapwings dive-bombed their puzzled opponents, both of which finally got the message.
It’s important to remember that a safari is like a tapestry, made up of multiple sightings, big and small. Ignore the small ones at your peril – they add so much charm to the overall experience.
“Pick on someone your own size.” A female ostrich sizes up a lapwing.
Australia is famous for its large salties, but the Serengeti’s River Mara has equally impressive freshwater crocodiles, which feast on wildebeest as they cross the river during the Great Migration. We may have missed the Migration, but we witnessed its aftermath: islands of wildebeest corpses in the river, snagged on boulders and sandbanks.
A trio of cranes dance on the Ngorongoro crater floor.
The highlight for many visitors to Tanzania is the old volcano in the Ngorongoro Conservation area. Here, you’ll find the densest concentration of wildlife anywhere on the planet, some 30,000 animals in what amounts to a “lost world”, hovering just under the clouds. On the vast crater floor are several small forests, a soda lake and a vast expanse of savanah, all surrounded by precipitous hills 610 metres high.
Zebras on the lawn at the AndBeyond Ngorongoro Crater Lodge.
On the crater rim, out of sight, are some of Tanzania’s most exclusive lodges, including the AndBeyond Ngorongoro Crater Lodge, where zebras graze on the lawn. It’s a 20-30 minute drive to the crater floor and from the moment you leave the lodge, the views almost make you light-headed with delight.
“Move over, junior,” a female hippo appears to intimidate a youngster at a wallow.
It’s an ancient landscape, almost biblical, one in which you expect to see Noah’s Ark resting on the lake. Instead, a flock of cranes were dancing – the filaments of their golden crests radiating sunlight like haloes. In the distance were herds of buffalo and several bull elephants, a solitary black rhino and, close to a mud wallow full of hippos, a large male lion with a fine mane was quenching his thirst. A quintessential African scene – one that for me will last a lifetime.
**USEFUL INFORMATION
**
AndBeyond has 33 high-end lodges in seven African and South Asian countries and are known for pioneering a sustainable approach to safaris and supporting local communities close to its lodges.
AndBeyond’s Ngorongoro Crater Lodge: The lodge; a bathroom; al fresco breakfast.
Clothes: Wear khaki, beige and white. These colours are least conspicuous to animals. Long sleeves and long trousers give maximum protection against mozzies and other biting insects. Take comfortable light boots. A fleece, sweater or jacket are needed at altitude ie the Ngorongoro Crater.
Equipment: A telephoto lens will deliver the best photos. Binoculars bring the animals to you.
Currency: US dollars are best – small to medium denominations. Tanzanian shillings can only be exchanged on arrival – US$1 = 1600 shillings; AUD$1 =1460 shillings.
Insect repellent: The best is Mosi-Guard. This deters tsetse flies and mozzies. Deet products attract tsetse flies.
Vaccination: Check with a medical specialist. Remember, if you are travelling to Kenya or certain countries in tropical Africa on your way to Tanzania, you will need a yellow fever vaccination. Yellow fever is not mandatory for Tanzania.
Visa: Australians can get visas on arrival for US$50.
Take: Pack on the lighter side if you are flying in small planes between camps.
**BEST TIME TO GO
**
Tanzania offers astonishing diversity – from beach holidays on tropical islands to safaris on the Serengeti, Ngoronogoro crater and at many other national parks, plus adventure challenges, such as climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. For further information and advice, contact African Travel Specialists (1300 761 980), the largest Australian tour operator into East Africa with nearly 50 years’ experience. African Travel Specialists can tailor a safari to suit your needs and budget. They recommend visits:
Can I scratch my head with my toes? A baby baboon stretching.
December to January: The southern part of Serengeti is pumping with millions of wildebeest (as well as predators) – it is when they drop their calves.
July – end of August: The northern part of Serengeti, where the Migration of wildebeest and zebra is crossing the rivers.
Late October to mid-December: Great time to visit the Ngorongoro Crater, but it’s warming up on the Serengeti and at Lake Manyara.
June to late October: The dry season with cool nights, warm to hot days, but take a fleece to the Ngorongoro Crater – you’ll need it after sundown.
Serial yo-yo dieter Kirstie Alley stepped out in Los Angeles yesterday looking trim, toned and terrific once again.
Kirstie’s weight has fluctuated wildly over the years but she finally appears to have beaten her body demons for good at the age of 62.
Kirstie isn’t the only star who has dramatically slimmed down in recent months – these famous men and women have all lost weight and found a new lease on life.
Kirstie Alley in 2010 and looking super-svelte this week.
Christina Aguilera in November 2012 and November 2013.
Nigella Lawson in 2006, and 2013.
Ricki-Lee Coulter in 2004 and November 2012.
Jennifer Hudson in January 2007, and looking super-svelte in September 2011 year.
Dawn French in 2007, 2011, and 2013.
Magda Szubanski has dropped several dress sizes recently. Here she is in 2002 and 2011.
Mariah in February 2010 and August 2013.
Nicole Richie in 2003 and last month.
Funnyman Mikey Robbins in 2003 and again in 2007.
Janet Jackson is another yo-yo dieter. Here she is in 2005 and 2007.
Kelly Osbourne in 2005 and November 2011.
Lily Allen has also struggled with her weight. Here she is in 2007 and again in 2009.
Jessica Simpson had lost most of her baby weight in just four months this year.
Britney Spears in 2001, looking larger in 2007 and great again this year.
Oprah Winfrey has also struggled with her weight. Here she is in 2008, and 2010.
Funnyman Drew Carey in September 1995 and October 2013.
Sarah Ferguson was dubbed ‘The Duchess of Pork’. Here she is in 2007 and now.
Queen Latifah in 2004 and in October 2013.
Director Peter Jackson in 2002, and almost unrecognisable in 2009.
Talk show queen Ricki Lake in 2002 and 2013.
John Goodman lost a huge amount of weight from 2003 to 2013.
When it comes to a run-in with a strong breeze, even celebrities and royalty aren't immune to the 'Marilyn effect'. Here are the top unintentional 'Seven Year Itch' moments.
Marilyn Monroe had a unique look that inspired a generation of young women, but few aspired to replicate the ‘Seven Year Itch’ scene that saw her skirt blow up over a subway grate.
No matter how much we try to avoid it, there will always be a moment in every woman’s life that sees her skirt blow up in the breeze, and even celebrities and royalty aren’t immune to the “Marilyn effect”.
From the Duchess of Cambridge’s recent run-in with a strong breeze, to Britney Spears’ intentional Monroe-esque performance, these are some of the most notable celebrity “Marilyn moments”.
Marilyn Monroe had a look many aspired to but occasionally even celebrities imitate her accidentally.
The Duchess had a similar experience on a trip to Canada in 2011.
Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge hardly flinched when her skirt blew up at a recent function.
It was too early for flashing when Beyonce had her own Marilyn moment on breakfast television in 2006.
Kate Moss laughed it off when her skirt blew up in 2010.
Britney’s performance was Monroe-inspired.
Katy Perry was asking for trouble when her skirt met the wind at the Smurfs premiere.
Selena Gomez had cleverly planned ahead for this moment.
Taylor Swift’s skirt was windswept in her onstage Marilyn moment.
Jennifer Hawkins’ infamous wardrobe malfunction went one step further.
Venus Williams had viewers fooled at the 2010 French Open.
X-Files star Gillian Anderson has revealed her passion for animal welfare and a whole lot more in a new campaign for a campaign against deep-sea trawling in European waters.
The 45-year-old actress had only an eel draped across her shoulders as she posed for French photographer Denis Rouvre for the FISH LOVE campaign, which is supporting a proposed ban of deep-sea trawling to be voted on in the European Parliament next week.
Anderson isn’t the first star to bravely bare all for a cause close to them.
Take a look at other celebrities who have posed for charity.
Gillian Anderson dons nothing but an eel for the FISHLOVE charity campaign.
Pamela Anderson wore a lettuce leaf bikini in this vegetarian campaign.
Alyssa Milano donned a lettuce leaf dress for Peta.
Actress Elizabeth Berkley took on a similar look for PETA.
TLC’s Chilli became a Cheetah for PETA’s anti-circus campaign.
Comedian Amy Sedaris turned to dark humour for PETA.
Anna Nicole Smith posed for PETA too.
Charlize Theron posed with her puppy in this anti-fur campaign.
Chloe Sevigny posed for this skin cancer research campaign for Marc Jacobs.
The saga that got the world talking, which began with sensational photographs of TV chef Nigella Lawson being manhandled by her husband Charles Saatchi, looks to be reignited with an exclusive tell-all interview with US TV host Oprah Winfrey.
The UK Mirror has reported that 53-year-old Nigella will speak out for the first time to spill all the details of her divorce with multimillionaire art collector Charles and address accusations that she’s a cocaine addict.
“Oprah is the place to go if you want to give an interview on a difficult topic and don’t want to be grilled,” a source told the newspaper.
“Nigella understands she’ll have to start promoting her TV show but she doesn’t want to be dogged by uncomfortable questions about her marriage.”
Nigella hasn’t said peep since the June incident but former housekeepers, sisters Francesca and Elisabetta Grillo, have spoken out about her alleged drug use of cocaine, marijuana and prescription drugs.
The Grillo sisters are currently being sued for fraud by Nigella and Charles for allegedly using the couple’s credit cards to spend more than $1million (£685,000) on luxury items.
Charles appeared in court for the fraud case on Friday and took the opportunity to defend his behaviour in the central London restaurant.
“I was not gripping, strangling or throttling her. I was holding her head by the neck to make her focus,” Saatchi told the Isleworth Crown Court in London.
The fraud case continues.
The tell-all interview is set for early next year, with many believing her decision to speak may be a business move as an exclusive interview with Oprah will certainly help boost exposure for her new US TV show The Taste.
This was further confirmed by a friend of the TV chef, who told The Mirror, “For the moment, she’s determined to maintain a dignified silence, even though so much has been said about her life.
“She’s asked her family and close friends to say nothing because she wants to go on TV, have her say and then try to move on. Her career is really taking off in the States, which is why she and her team are keen on Oprah.”
The domestic goddess is reportedly keen to speak to Oprah because she knows the talk show queen would go easy on her.
“Oprah is the place to go if you want to give an interview on a difficult topic and don’t want to be grilled,” an insider told the Daily Mirror.
“Nigella understands she will have to start promoting her new television show but she does not want to be dogged by uncomfortable questions about her marriage.”
Nigella’s reputation was rocked last week when her ex-husband told a London court she “took cocaine, cannabis and prescription drugs” daily during their 10-year marriage.
Charles Saatchi revealed Nigella’s “guilty secret” in a letter to Isleworth Crown Court during a fraud hearing against two of the celebrity chef’s former assistants.
Dubbing his former wife “Hi-gella”, Saatchi said Nigella was so “off her head” on drugs, she let former assistants Francesca and Elisabetta Grillo spend more than $500,000 on taxis, flights and designer clothes.
“I am concerned that Miss Lawson gave the defendants permission to use the accounts for personal purposes whilst under the influence of drugs and/or that Miss Lawson has no credible recollection of events as a result of drug abuse.”
The Grillo sisters supported Saatchi’s allegations, telling the court Nigella allowed them to spend whatever they wanted on her corporate credit card in exchange for keeping their silence about her drug habit.
Saatchi and Nigella had been due to testify together but he sent her an email on October 10 to say that he had changed sides after the former assistants sent him written statements detailing their version of events, including explosive claims Nigella had been giving drugs to her 19-year-old daughter Cosima, known as Mimi.
“They will get off on the basis that you and Mimi were so off your heads on drugs you allowed the sisters to spend whatever they liked,” Saatchi’s email to Nigella read.
The Grillos full statements – in which they make numerous drug allegations against Nigella, which Saatchi says he “believed every word” – have not been read out in court.
Nigella hired Elisabetta Grillo, 41, in 1999 to help care for her daughter Cosima and son Bruno. Her sister Francesca, 35, was hired in 2003.
Both were sacked in July last year when Saatchi discovered massive their massive expenditure on Nigella’s credit card.
Initially, the sisters made no mention of the drugs claims but changed their story in October, making an official statement via their lawyers.
The sensational drugs claims were first raised in a hearing last month but the judge ruled them inadmissible and banned reporting of them.
After Saatchi came forward to say he believed the claims, the judge ruled they were admissible and could be revealed.
The Grillos lawyers have strongly denied claims they approached Saatchi’s legal team to ask if the charges could be dropped if they made drugs allegations against Nigella.
You’d expect English football star David Beckham to have high hopes for his three boys to carry on his football legacy but it’s his little girl Harper’s soccer skills that he’s bragging about.
The father of four and hunky husband to fashion designer Victoria Beckham loves watching his two-year-old play and hopes she will follow in his footsteps.
At the premiere of The Class Of ‘92, the new soccer documentary that depicts his early days with Manchester United, Beckham, 38, beamed about his baby girl and how much she loves playing football with her brothers, Brooklyn, 14, Romeo, 12, and Cruz, 9.
“Harper’s skills are coming on pretty well. We’ll see if she wants to follow in my footsteps or not, she loves playing it with the boys.” Beckham told the UK’s Daily Mail.
Meanwhile, in a recent Grazia interview, Victoria Beckham also boasted about Harper, admitting that at this stage it looks like she will follow in her father’s footsteps rather than her own.
“She’s very girlie, she’s very feminine, but at the same time she loves football. She loves to run around in football boots and a football shirt,” Victoria said.
“She’s got three older brothers – she’s not one of these little girls who falls over and instantly cries because she’s used to it.
“She [likes] a little bit of rough and tumble in the garden with her brothers, which is really nice.”
As for the boys of the family, they are certainly living up to their dad’s dreams of becoming football stars also.
Their eldest son Brooklyn has attended football trials at both Manchester United and Queens Park Rangers but has yet to sign with either team.
“Brooklyn isn’t close to signing anything yet, he’s just enjoying himself. He’s playing and enjoying it like every kid does so that’s great.”
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