Hi, my name is Sam, and I am fundraising on behalf of our family to help ensure our much loved mum receives the send off she truly deserves.

She was Mum to me, but to many others she was Carol, Miss Anderson, or Nanny. Mum sadly passed away peacefully on Wednesday 4th February after being unexpectedly diagnosed with cancer on Christmas Eve.

What followed was a very difficult and confusing few weeks. We were first told it was throat cancer, which later changed to thyroid cancer, where the chances of treatment sounded much more positive. Further tests then revealed a lump on her lung, and her arms began to swell badly. After more investigations, doctors found a mass on her heart which was preventing blood from flowing back properly. On 2nd January, Mum underwent a frightening operation to fit a stent to relieve the blockage, and the swelling reduced almost immediately. She recovered well and began to feel more like herself again, and for a short time things felt hopeful.

A blood test result we had been waiting for then confirmed that the cancer had started in the kidney. A scan showed that thankfully the kidney itself was still functioning well, but we were also told that the cancer had spread to her bones and lymph nodes. Despite this, Mum never lost hope. She always wanted to know what she could do and what came next. By 6th January she was up walking around the ward as if nothing had happened. When she came home, she was herself again, managing dog walks and even trips to the shops.

Mum’s time after diagnosis was short and at times very stressful. She fought incredibly hard, even though we never truly knew what each stage would bring. The past six weeks were filled with tests, changing news, many hugs, and long conversations. Only a week before she passed, we were still speaking with doctors about treatment, which makes her loss feel so sudden and very hard for us to believe.

Mum was an incredibly proud person. She was especially proud of serving 38 years in the same job that she loved. She never wanted to be a burden, never wanted to ask for help, and certainly never wanted to be seen as someone who needed it. She wore her heart on her sleeve and had a deep, unconditional love for the people she let into her life. She had her own quiet way of deciding who she liked, but once you were in with Mum, you were truly in, and she rarely let those people go.

If Mum were here today, she would be completely mortified at the thought of people helping with funeral costs. However, she would be even more annoyed by flowers. Mum was a realist and always said flowers were overpriced and pointless. In her words, “why buy flowers when they just end up in the bin”.

So instead of flowers, we kindly ask that if you were considering sending any, you instead donate that amount towards her funeral and memorial costs. Any contribution, no matter the size, is deeply appreciated and will help us give Mum the farewell she deserves.

Thank you for your kindness, love, and support during this incredibly difficult time. It truly means more than we can put into words.