My Special Day was definitely more than just the day itself. There were so many fun things I could have asked for, but I wanted to do something that would also give back to those who were supporting me through a difficult time. From a young age I’d always been a performer - taken drama classes, sang in school shows etc. - it was, and still is my passion. When I was given my cancer diagnosis, one thing made me cry - the surgical risk that my vocal chords may be permanently damaged. I was in surgery for six hours and the first thing I remember hearing after waking up from the anesthetic was the consultant saying my voice was intact. She knew the importance to me. So, I still had my voice and I wanted to use it to produce an EP that would raise money for Willow and the Beatson Cancer Centre, where I received my follow-up treatment. One of my best friends, David, came with me on the day and we recorded one of my songs, Winter’s Glow. This was as much as I was able to manage on the day, however the engineer was a wonderful help. He worked on the track over the weekend and invited me back in to finish it off and record a second song, called Coming Home. It was the first time I'd ever been in a recording studio and it's fair to say I was quite nervous when it came to recording my parts! But that in itself was a wonderful experience as when I went back to record the second song I was much more relaxed and felt like this was a place I could always feel comfortable; maybe making and recording music is something I could do for years to come, something that would bring me great joy and happiness. I've been back a few times since, and although I've still got a lot to learn about the creative process, and not allowing myself to be carried away by all the options and suggestions put in front of me, it definitely feels like the day has provided me with an opportunity that I want to grasp. I want my EP to be as successful as it possibly can be because every penny of every sale goes to these two charities, and I would definitely not be where I am today without the help of both of them. There were so many fun things I could have asked for, but this was so much more. The day kick-started my life - restoring confidence and purpose. It led to me joining a band, which was the biggest legacy of the Willow experience. I stood on stage at our first gig, having done nothing like it for over two years; having struggled to leave the house for months, yet I stood there and felt like I was home again. I said in an email to Claire - my special day co-ordinator - just after my special day, that “the whole experience, from the first phone call to the actual day, has put a smile on my face.” That smile has seldom left me since, and I can't think everyone at Willow enough for that. If anyone would like to purchase the EP, here is the link: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/andrew-wright-ep/id765926616