Latest news with #Avril
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Avril Lavigne thanks parents for their sacrifices
Avril Lavigne has thanked her parents for the "sacrifices" they made for her. The 40-year-old star is currently on her Avril Lavigne: The Greatest Hits tour and after bringing her mom out on stage at New York's Madison Square Garden, she has expressed her gratitude for all the help and support her mother and father have shown over the years. Sharing a video and photos of her mom on stage, Avril wrote on Instagram: "I brought my Mom up on stage last night !!!! "Ever since I was a little girl, both my mom and dad saw something in me and encouraged me to practice very hard and pursue my dream of becoming a singer/ musician. "They made a lot of sacrifices for me and I could not be where I am today without them. Mom thank you for believing in me. I am grateful to both my parents. Thank you for everything, I love you both! [heart emojis] (sic)" During the New York show, Avril recalled to the audience that her mom had told her "you're going to be a singer one day" after she sang Jesus Loves Me. She added: "When I was two years old, she knew I was going to be a singer." Meanwhile, Avril previously laughed off the conspiracy theory that she was replaced by a body double named Melissa after struggling with the pressures of fame. The Complicated hitmaker insisted the rumours have never bothered her because she knows there are far worse things that people could have said. Speaking on the Call Her Daddy podcast, she said: "I mean, it's just funny to me. Like, on one end, everyone's like, 'You look the exact same. You haven't aged a day.' But then other people are like, there's a conspiracy theory that I'm not me. Honestly, it's not that bad. It could be worse, right? "I feel like I got a good one. I don't feel like it's negative. It's nothing creepy! Obviously I am me, it's so dumb! "I think that they've done that with other artists. I'm not the only one. I think, like, other people have that."
Perth Now
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Avril Lavigne thanks parents for their sacrifices
Avril Lavigne has thanked her parents for the "sacrifices" they made for her. The 40-year-old star is currently on her Avril Lavigne: The Greatest Hits tour and after bringing her mom out on stage at New York's Madison Square Garden, she has expressed her gratitude for all the help and support her mother and father have shown over the years. Sharing a video and photos of her mom on stage, Avril wrote on Instagram: "I brought my Mom up on stage last night !!!! "Ever since I was a little girl, both my mom and dad saw something in me and encouraged me to practice very hard and pursue my dream of becoming a singer/ musician. "They made a lot of sacrifices for me and I could not be where I am today without them. Mom thank you for believing in me. I am grateful to both my parents. Thank you for everything, I love you both! [heart emojis] (sic)" During the New York show, Avril recalled to the audience that her mom had told her "you're going to be a singer one day" after she sang Jesus Loves Me. She added: "When I was two years old, she knew I was going to be a singer." Meanwhile, Avril previously laughed off the conspiracy theory that she was replaced by a body double named Melissa after struggling with the pressures of fame. The Complicated hitmaker insisted the rumours have never bothered her because she knows there are far worse things that people could have said. Speaking on the Call Her Daddy podcast, she said: "I mean, it's just funny to me. Like, on one end, everyone's like, 'You look the exact same. You haven't aged a day.' But then other people are like, there's a conspiracy theory that I'm not me. Honestly, it's not that bad. It could be worse, right? "I feel like I got a good one. I don't feel like it's negative. It's nothing creepy! Obviously I am me, it's so dumb! "I think that they've done that with other artists. I'm not the only one. I think, like, other people have that."
The Herald Scotland
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
A tale of how mock sincerity was easily overcome
'Let's not make a heavy night of it,' said one of the ladies. 'After the next drink, maybe we should just stick to mocktails.' Her friend didn't look persuaded, and after a brief pause she said: 'How about we stick to mock mocktails?' The first woman was clearly confused by the suggestion. She wrinkled her forehead and thought about this conundrum, before finally admitting: 'I've never heard of a mock mocktail.' 'Some people,' explained the pal, 'call it a cocktail.' 'Ah,' said her friend. 'I noticed,' reports Avril, 'that by the end of the evening they were very tipsy, indeed.' Dead funny Although the Diary is mostly a serious and hard-hitting commentary on the news, we occasionally stray into the arena of humour. Reader John Mulholland has been musing about the business of being amusing. 'I wonder,' he says, 'do dead comedians who were really funny, made people laugh, and did a lot for comedy get post-humorous awards?' George Crawford from West Kilbride isn't sure what the esteemed Victorian engineer, Isambard, would have thought of this Bristol restaurant's description of his texture… (Image: Contributed) Getting the sack Being a granddad often means putting up with shrieking kids. Tim Thackeray was at his seven-year-old granddaughter's birthday party, and thankfully there wasn't too much shrieking… only screaming and yelling. Also, lots of party balloons. Tim turned to his wife and said: 'I don't get the point of balloons at a party. They're just plastic sacks filled with other people's breath.' Jaws of despair One of the horrors of getting old is your teeth decide to become unfaithful and abandon your gums. And when they drop out, there's no point hiding them under your pillow and praying for a visit from the Tooth Fairy; she only dispenses the big bucks to kids. Instead, you have to visit the dentist and his good friends, the pliers. This is the situation Barry Davis found himself in when he got a terrible toothache. 'Does it look bad?' he whimpered to the dentist. Trying to be gentle, the dentist replied: 'Put it like this. The Toothbrush of Damocles is hanging over your head.' Picture this The ageing process, continued. 'I've come to the conclusion that I have a memory like an Etch A Sketch,' says reader Grant Miller. 'I shake my head and everything's erased.' Nicker nicked Enraged Billy Wright gets in touch to berate the criminal class. 'To the person who stole my glasses,' he says, 'be warned, I'll find you… I have my contacts.'
Belfast Telegraph
25-05-2025
- Health
- Belfast Telegraph
Race For Life: Two NI friends in cancer remission reveal their ‘singing lifeline' during Belfast event
Dawn Mackey and Avril Campbell were invited stars at this year's event held at Stormont on Sunday. The event, which supports Cancer Research UK, includes 3k, 5k, 10k and Pretty Muddy challenges for adults and children, raising millions for cancer research each year. The pair, both in remission from breast cancer, sounded the starter horn to send around 2,000 participants off on the 3k and 5k courses during the morning. More than £200,000 was raised by the event, helping scientists develop new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer. After serving as official starters, Dawn and Avril joined the 50-strong Rock Choir from Lisburn, led by Clare Galway, outside Stormont buildings to motivate race participants along the route. The friends say being part of the choir has helped them cope with their cancer journey. Dawn (60) from Craigavon was diagnosed with breast cancer in May 2024 after a routine screening, despite having no symptoms. A retired district nurse, she said the screening service saved her life. Dawn has since had surgery, five radiotherapy sessions, and started taking tamoxifen—a drug proven effective by Cancer Research UK-funded research. Discussing her journey to remission, Dawn explained she is on a mission to 'raise awareness about early detection and screening.' 'When I was diagnosed with cancer I went into 'nurse mode' at first and tried to protect my loved ones. I stayed positive on the outside, but inside I was frightened,' she said. 'Thank goodness for screening, as without it I'd never have detected there was anything wrong. I'm well now, so it's important to me to do everything I can to raise awareness about early detection and screening. Dawn added that the support around her, including using music as an outlet, helped her cope. 'I had an amazing consultant, oncologist, breast nurse and radiotherapy team. 'My family supported me every step of the way while the choir gave me empathy — and most importantly laughter. Singing with the choir helped bring the joyous part of me back, and screening helped save my life.' 'It was a fantastic day at Race for Life Belfast, full of emotion, courage, tears, laughter and hope' Music has also helped Avril, 56, from Banbridge, who will mark nine years since finishing breast cancer treatment this September. She underwent surgery, 16 chemotherapy sessions, 23 radiotherapy sessions, and later started tamoxifen medication. The mum of three said each member of the Rock Choir is inspirational and she is 'proud to be a part of' it, adding that it is 'one of the happiest one and a half hours of my week.' 'Our leader Clare is inspirational as are the choir members. I'm proud to be part of it.' The choir performed hits including Don't Stop Me Now by Queen and Super Trouper by Abba. Earlier in the day, International United Ms United Kingdom beauty queen Anouska Black of Craigavon sounded the start horn for the 10k participants. Anouska, 35, said: 'It was an honour to open this year's Race for Life Belfast and I've loved cheering everyone on. 'Both my grandfathers sadly passed away with cancer and I know it's a disease that touches so many families. Thankfully, there are many more effective treatments out there today, making it possible for people to get through cancer but that's been made possible thanks to the generosity of people raising funds for life-saving research. That's why I'm in awe of every single person who crossed the finish line.' Speaking after the event, Lisa Adams, Cancer Research UK's spokeswoman in Northern Ireland, commented: 'It was a fantastic day at Race for Life Belfast, full of emotion, courage, tears, laughter and hope as people celebrated the lives of those dear to them who have survived cancer and remembered loved ones lost to the disease.' She added: 'Sadly nearly 1 in 2 of us will get cancer in our lifetime** but all of us can support the research that will beat it. 'We're proud that Race for Life has had such a positive impact. Every pound raised supports our life-saving work, which has helped double cancer survival in the UK over the last 50 years.'
Irish Independent
08-05-2025
- Health
- Irish Independent
‘I was one bad infection away from not making it' – Wexford mum heralds ‘life-saving gift' of organ donation
However, add into the equation an auto-immune liver disease which causes chronic fatigue, frequent infections and jaundice, and it's more than most could bear. Avril was diagnosed with Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC) when she was just 24 and it quickly became clear that managing the condition would be an ongoing battle. For a decade, she tried to push through the symptoms, rearing her family and continuing with her busy work life, but eventually her condition worsened and the strain became harder and harder to bear. She was frequently hospitalised, often struggling with chronic fatigue and her jaundice became a frequent part of her life. "I was diagnosed just after getting married to my college sweetheart,' she said. 'I always tried to make the most of life, doing all the things a twenty-something does – saving for a mortgage, expanding my family, thriving in work, spending time with family and friends – however, silently I suffered with symptoms like jaundice, chronic fatigue and infections that took me longer to recover from and multiple procedures.' While always working to keep a level of normality for her family – husband Justin and daughters Alicia and Cora – two and a half years ago things came to a head. Doctors feared the worst and Avril was put on the list for a liver transplant. "The outlook wasn't as hopeful, with more hospital visits, more symptoms daily,' she recalls. 'At that point I was referred to be assessed for a transplant. It was a process that came with an overwhelming mix of emotions - fear and uncertainty, but also a silent hope that I might be one of the lucky ones. That May I was officially listed.' Throughout the time it was Avril's family and a burning desire to enjoy a future with them that kept her going. "I could not have made it through without Justin's unwavering support,' she says. 'He carried so much weight when I couldn't and he stood strong when I needed someone to lean on. 'Our daughters were 17 and 8 at the time. Watching your children grow while wondering if you'll be around to see the next year of your life is a pain I wouldn't wish on anyone. But they gave me strength and purpose.' Things would get worse before they got better. "There were hospital admissions every two weeks. I was told I was one bad infection away from not making it. Then, just two months after being listed, I got that incredible call – a donor had been found.' It was a call that brought a flood of emotions. "In the midst of someone else's heartbreak, they had made that selfless decision to give the ultimate gift – the gift of life. That moment changed everything,' Avril says. 'It gave me back my future, it gave me more days with my family and it gave me hope. "It's hard to put into words what it feels like to be given a second chance.' "There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about my donor and their family. I don't know their name, but I carry them with me every single day. I live my life now in honour of them, with more gratitude, more purpose and more love. I am living now and not just surviving.' Speaking at the official launch of Organ Donor Awareness Week, gratefully Avril is living proof of the life-changing difference that organ donation can make. "Organ donation is not just a medical miracle. It's a deeply human act of compassion,' she said. 'It turns loss into legacy and pain into possibility. I'm here today because someone said 'yes'. That 'yes' saved my life. "So today, I ask all of you, please consider becoming an organ donor. Talk to your families, let your loved ones know your wishes. "One decision can give someone like me - someone's wife, someone's mother, someone's daughter – the chance to keep loving, keep living and keep dreaming.'
