Books written by Joan Chewsworth have helped her grandchildren following the death of mum Lisa Cain
Joan Chewsworth
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The lasting legacy of a grandmother’s fairy tales have helped her grandchildren find comfort in the wake of tragedy.
The death of brave mum Lisa Cain, aged 41, as she waited for a crucial lung transplant left her family devastated.
For Lisa’s heartbroken children, five-year-old Rebecca and two-year-old Jack, it meant getting used to a life without mum.
For Lisa’s mum, Joan Chewsworth, 74, it meant doing whatever she could to comfort her grandchildren.
Joan, of Norton, explained how on the night of Lisa’s death, in 2010, Rebecca had stayed with her.
Joan said: “Rebecca had stayed with me a lot when her mum was in hospital.
“On the night Lisa died Rebecca asked me to read her a story.
“So I came up with a story about a little fairy who lives at the bottom of the garden.
“Rebecca asked me what she was called so I said, Petronella - I just made it up as I went along.”
As time passed, Rebecca and Joan found comfort in Petronella’s stories which were becoming increasingly elaborate.
Joan said: “They involved all the creatures in the garden, including Billy the Bee and Sammy the Snail.
“Then Rebecca asked if they could have a party, so they did.
“At the party there was a spider who played the drums with his eight legs and there’s a centipede who lent Petronella a pair of his shoes.
“Then there was the day Petronella got lost and the mice pinched her cakes.”
As Petronella’s world became more and more detailed, Joan received a word of advice from her husband.
Joan said: “My husband Harry had overheard me telling the stories to Rebecca and he said, ‘Why don’t you make it into a book for the children?’
“I only just got it printed last week and there’s only a few. I’ve sold 30 of them to friends.
“So much of the profit goes to the Lung Foundation. It’s all done out of love for my daughter and my grandchildren.”
The Adventures of Petronella have now been brought to life by Joan’s illustrations, much to the delight of Rebecca.
Joan said: “When my little grandaughter saw the book she threw her arms around me and gave me a big hug.”
Keeping Lisa’s memory alive for her grandchildren is so important that Joan is now writing Lisa’s life story so that Rebecca, now nine, and Jack, now six, can hear about their mum as they grow up.
Joan said: “They’ll never be able to do the normal things with their mum but they’ll always remember her.
“Jack was only two when Lisa died. Even though he was so young, he still comes into my house and goes over to Lisa’s photo, picks it up and gives it a kiss.”
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