Raspberry Awareness Day
Simona Stankovska has been awarded for her dedication and contribution to charity. Simona has volunteered from a young age and has always helped out with various charities. She has been recognised by the award committee for using her own experience to help others. Simona suffered from a rare brain tumour and had brain surgery in December 2015. She has now fully recovered, yet she admits that it has been a long and difficult journey. Since then, she has served as a trustee for a UK brain tumour charity. Motivated by her desire to influence change and make a difference to people affected by brain tumours, she went on to establish a charity of her own a year later.
The jury described Simona as “selfless, hard-working, driven, and determined.” The award ceremony will take place on October 22, 2020, in London, at the Palace of Westminster and it will be hosted by The Rt. Hon. Lord Dholakia.
“Heal your brain” yoga retreat
Simona says: “I was absolutely shocked to be told that I’d received this honour. I thought it was a joke and someone was winding me up. I do what I do because I love it, not for recognition. However, I am truly humbled and honoured to receive this recognition and it means a lot to me that others like what I’m doing and that my work is making a difference to people’s lives. It’s also lovely to know someone nominated me for this award. I am a proud British Citizen, and having originally come from Macedonia where my parents are from, this award means even more. As my mother says, I was: ‘A little girl from Macedonia arriving in the UK with my Mickey Mouse suitcase and big dreams.’ I feel like I am making those dreams a reality now. This will be great publicity for my charity. I am also so proud to be part of the EXANTE team and have the backing of my employer.”