Once again, AAS Online is the bearer of sad news....

Miss Charly Daniels died yesterday at her home in Epping at 10.10am.

Since 1992, Barry and Carmen Daniels have had to live with the devastating news that their two children were suffering from a rare and incurable neurodegenerative disorder call 'late-infantile Batten's Disease'.

Like any parents, they were determined to save their lives. For Charly, aged 4, having already begun suffering the effects of the disease, it was too late for treatment.

Her brother Rhys being was the first child in the world to receive a bone-marrow transplant in the hope to rid him of this relentless illness.  Unfortunately, and to the dismay of the family the treatment proved unsuccessful.

Rhys died on 21st December and now while the family will miss them both so very much, the Daniels can at least live with the peace that Rhys and Charly are together in a better place.

 Barry told me today " It's strange, Charly had a thing about the number 10... and inthe end, she was ten years and 10 months when she died at 10.10 on the 10th February.

Bliss, who is the youngest member of the Daniels family is thankfully free of this disease is now 3 and a member of the Freckles Fan Club...

Barry and Carmen, despite having to bury their daughter on tomorrow have decided not to cancel the Rhys Daniels Trust Annual Valentines Ball on Saturday.  Sponsored by Hello Magazine it's set to be a glittering starstudded event aimed at raising money and awareness of the cause.

I would like everyone who read these media pages to send a word of support to the Daniels Family by fax (as they do not have email) to 01992 571932.

Some time next month, I intend to launch a serious initiative to raise awareness of this disease and to raise funds through the WWW.

Please support this. Thanks

Quote of the Day: 'There is not so much comfort in the having of children as there is sorrow in parting with them.' THOMAS FULLER, M.D. 1732