Zara's Race for Life

I first encountered the devastating consequences of cancer when I was 5 years old. My number one hero, my absolute world was ripped from the family he adored in May 1997 after being diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. Although I was to young at that time to understand exactly what cancer meant, I remember the feeling of having my heart ripped to shreds like it was yesterday. The first few months were the worst I didn't want to eat, I didn't want to sleep and I certainly didn't want to talk about it but in time I learned how to cope with my dads loss. However, 12 years later them dreaded words once again rang around my ears like an unforgiving echo, except this time the fate had fallen upon my beautiful mother. I watched this tower of strength that was my mother, my role model, my whole world deteriorate before my very eyes. Suddenly I had to care for the same amazing woman that had cared and nurtured me for so many years. Suddenly the same woman that had brought me up to the person I am today, the same woman I watched dance around the kitchen for years and laugh and smile no matter how bad things were, had been taken hold of by this disease that just wasn't letting go until it had taken every last shred of who she was and stripped it away. Adamant to stand up to cancer one final time, she fought on for three weeks after my wedding blessing at Salisbury Hospice to see her final wish, watching me get married. Later that same day she whispered to me words the words that will stay with me forever "I'm ready to go now baby girl". That night she fell into a deep sleep and three days later, after 9 short months on Monday 26th July 2010 at 3.20am my mummy lost her almighty fight, closing her eyes to cross over to a better world, leaving behind not only her two older girls but also her 9 year old little girl leaving us all devastated. To say our world was turned upside down would be an understatement. Suddenly at the age of 19 I had become a mother to a 9 year old little girl who was confused, angry at times and completely lost. It was far from easy but that same little girl is now 18, in college and making not only me proud but everyone who knows and loves her. She's also running this race with me, hoping to raise as much money as possible to hopefully one day eradicate cancer, so no other family has to experience the heartache and grief that we and so many other families have had to experience or still are experiencing. We are running this race because cancer holds no prisoners nor does it discriminate. We are running this race in the hope that one day the word cancer won't be a word that rings around anyone's ears, but most of all we are running this race in memory of our beautiful mummy Jackie Aulsberry, my amazing father Tony Francis and for all those that have had their families torn apart but this horrendous disease. 🌹May all the beautiful angels who lost their battle sleep peacefully. They may be gone but they will certainly never be forgotten. Until next time rest in perfect peace.🌹 "What we have once enjoyed deeply we can never lose. All that we love deeply becomes a part of us." - (Helen Keller)