Kate's Giving Page

I hate exercise; particularly walking. I’m often mocked by friends when I take a taxi in Central London for a journey that would be quicker if I walked. But I hate walking, period. So why do I find myself committed to walking a marathon on Saturday... at night!? Simple; for the love I had and still have for two beautiful souls who lost their battle with cancer. They never got to meet each other, but I know they would have got on. Belinda, nicknamed Lindy, was my aunt and her two children were her world. She was diagnosed with cancer in her late 30’s and after many rounds of chemo and terribly invasive operations to try and cut away the cancer, she passed away at 43.... that’s just 2 yrs older than me. I remember sitting by her bed when she’d come home to die. She was unconscious and we didn’t know if she could hear us, but we still talked to her. I spoke about her children, how she shouldn’t worry, we’d always be there for them.. and she squeezed my hand. It’s a moment I’ll never forget. And more recently, Carole, my mother in law. It’s coming up to a year since her passing. We miss her terribly and it breaks my heart when out of nowhere my 7yr old daughter will be staring into space and dreamily announce she misses nanna. Carole and her husband - my father in law Gaspare - met when they were 14 yrs old and the rest is history. Life was tough and despite having v little money, there was always endless love and support for their two sons. After spending years working their fingers to the bone, they were in a position to retire and finally had the means to do everything they wanted. Carole looked after my daughter from 5 months old, not because she had to, but because she wanted to. She’d never had a daughter so the bond they had was very special. She also wanted to look after my son, I think he reminded her of when her boys were young... but she never had the chance. This time last year we’d just come back from a holiday together in Sicily. We all knew it was the unspoken ‘last holiday’ for her, but we we didn’t expect such a fast deterioration. Within a week of us returning, she was admitted to hospital... I was with her when the consultant told her the cancer had spread to the lining of her brain and there was nothing they could do. Within 3 months of her playing in the pool with her grandchildren, she was dead. I’m doing this walk because cancer sucks. It robs families and crushes dreams. I want to raise money so that research can continue and cures can be found. Please sponsor me...