Call for cards to help Wigan woman celebrate milestone birthday

Christine Lillis, from Newtown, had been looking forward to holding a big party to mark her turning 40.

However, due to Covid-19 and the current lockdown it is impossible for Christine, who has Down's Syndrome, to get her friends and family together to celebrate the occasion.

Instead, her kind-hearted cousin Julie Lavin came up with the idea of getting as many people as possible to send her a birthday card as a surprise.

Currently she is up to around 200 after posting on social media about it and is hoping to swell the size of the postbag further by the time Christine’s milestone day comes around on Friday.

Former Wigan Athletic commercial department employee Julie, from Kitt Green, said: “For three years Christine has been counting down to this party and now obviously Covid has put paid to it.

“She loves to dance and loves music; she likes Ed Sheeran, George Ezra and Little Mix. Last year she said she couldn’t wait for this January and turning 40. She was going to invite people and put the party on somewhere.

“We can’t go and visit her either so I just put on social media a message asking if people would send her a card.

“I’ve had some from people I don’t even know and from people as far afield as Holland and Romania.

“It’s such a shame the party is not happening but hopefully the good people of Wigan will pop a card in the post to her.”

Julie said Christine first came up with the idea of the 40th birthday party around the time she turned 37 but due to the events of last year with the novel coronavirus pandemic the night out never even reached the planning stage.

Christine lives with her parents Evelyn and Frank and her mum is hiding the cards when they arrive at the house each day so she does not see them until Friday.

Christine also enjoys colouring and doing word search puzzles.

Julie, who works on a Nightingale hospital contract and is based in Skelmersdale, has also asked a couple of special schools if the pupils would make cards for her.

Christine also has two sisters, Sandra and Victoria, but has not been able to spend as much time with her family since last March as she is classed as vulnerable.

Her birthday is on Friday. To send her a card, get in touch with Julie on email at [email protected]

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