Hello Helen,
Just popped into your website (and didn't even get caught up in spiders' web)I was so chuffed to find a way to contact you (although I can imagine you have to wade through zillions of e-mails everyday/...and yes...here is one more..good luck wading through this)Well..I have been wanting to e-mail you for ages.(well after nearly every column I read of yous in fact) But this time I am e-mailing for real and that;s because for the second time in a few months I have been sitting in a cafe, slurping a cappucino..hunted for something to read..found a NEXT magaxine...searched for your column, read it (like a new found treasure) but end up finding myself crying....(it happened to be the one about your son's wedding..) Seeing as I just had to have a copy of it to add to my stash of helen brown columns) I had to pull myself together then, politely ask the waitress if there was a photocopy place nearby so I could photocopy this PARTICULAR article..and promised I really would bring the magazine back!!! It just so happened that the place next to the cafe was the Information centre...so I duly took the magazine to the lady and made my request known...to which she said 'Oh my goodness I love her columns too..but I wouldn't be brave enough to do what you're doing..but I'll photocopy it for you for free!!' although she said would probably steal the magazine!!) Now this was in Masterton..where else?? I know you have family connections around these parts. (info gleaned from another column way back) So I got my column copied and took it back to my Aunt and read it to her. My Aunt is 101yrs old. (just a bit older than your Aunt Lila)Well..it was her who told me about Helen Brown being her favourite column in the Dominion (years ago)..which in turn started me off buying the Waikato Times only on Tuesday's for your column. (consequentlly I found the stash of your columns as I was wading through stuff to sort out before I moved down to Eketahuna, a few months ago to care for Auntie Bub....and the Helen Brown columns came with me)..Well this copying helen Brown columns happened again a few weeks ago..in another cafe..this time it was in Palmerston North and they had a last years copy of NEXT..so I repeated the same performance..only I couldn't hide the tears as it was the one about you going to have the breast reconstruction...and reading about your surgery, your feelings amidst a dash of humour (as usual) tinged with your beautiful honesty, spurred me to just e-mail and say what an amazing, lovely woman and a gifted writer you are...and thank-you for sharing so much of your life with us. All the best Helen through the big C journey..which no-one chooses to go on but are plonked onto it kicking, and screaming!! And in your case...writing, sharing and sometimes laughing....you do all that soo welll...keep doing it....Okay so I've burbled on long enough...I just want to say how much you have blessed not only my life but my lovely Aunts as well...so thank-you and healthy wishes to you too..XXXXXXXXXXXXX  
Faye Ketu.... Thank-you

Here in Christchurch we have The Star which is delivered twice weekly.  Your column is the first piece I turn to on a Friday and never fail to be amused, or feel some empathy when you describe situations with your family.  I've been known to get all excited and happily put the jug on preparing to sit down and read your offering, but after flicking through backwards and forwards in vain, am hugely disappointed to realise it's only Wednesday and your piece gets printed on Fridays!  Aargh!

I'm positively addicted and hope you'll be writing this column when you are a very, very old lady.
Kathleen K.