Hello, my name is Reagan Kirkpatrick; I am 22 years old and currently employed by Domestic and General as a customer sales advisor within the outbound department and have been in this role since 2019 on Team Liam Vinsome.

I grew up In Dudley, a part of Newcastle upon Tyne, and I have five sisters and currently live with my mum. On the 24th of September 2020, I gave birth to a beautiful girl named Amara, whom I cherish and adore and who has brought me many unforgettable memories. She loves coming to see all of her cousins and playing with them. Amara also loves animals and loves seeing them in real life. When it comes to hobbies, I’m an old skool raver. Before motherhood, I would mostly live for the weekends attending raves, the last one I attended, I travelled down to Blackpool for a BTID rave event (bounce till I die) on the Blackpool pier, and I am hoping to make another trip like this soon.

In June 2022, I started experiencing extreme migraines and fatigue, leading me to seek advice from my GP. Initially, I was treated for stress headaches; however, my symptoms did not improve. After seeking further medical advice and attending the hospital, I was taken in for other tests and an MRI scan. Unfortunately, my family and I were given the news that I have a Grade 4 diffuse midline glioma brain tumour, which is common in children but can occur in adults. They are fast-growing, likely to spread, difficult to remove, and sometimes called malignant or cancer. This has caused me speech difficulties and sometimes impacts my vision, strength and balance. This also causes nausea, fatigue and headaches.

Recently I was given the news that the treatment is working and the brain tumour was shrinking; however myself and family have been informed that unfortunately, the brain tumour is terminal, and although it has shrunk, it can still grow and may still even come back even with extensive treatment, which means my time with my daughter is limited.

I am overwhelmed and thankful for the current and ongoing support I have received from not just my manager but also my teammates and employer. I am aware of the fundraiser being held. With help from my team leader and colleagues, any donations raised towards this fundraiser will be greatly appreciated and help me create special memories and spend quality time creating memories for myself and Amara in 2023 with the raised money. When I am fit and well enough and to help create beautiful memories for myself and Amara, I would love to be able to take her to flamingo land so she can see the animals she adores and loves, and I can have the memories to keep and cherish. However, a ‘dream ‘trip’ would be to have the ability to take Amara to Disneyland so she can see the characters she also adores from Disney.

On behalf of myself and Amara, thank you all for taking the time to read my story and thank you for any donations raised.

Reagan Kirkpatrick x