My Story

Hello,

In October 2021 my wife Heather, at the age of 43, received a devastating diagnosis of Pancreatic Cancer. Our world fell apart, having gone from the most perfect of lives with two amazing children to a world of worry and uncertainty.

We we're told that it was treatable but not curable, the cancer had spread the her lungs and liver. Heather was fit; a runner, a tennis player, a regular at the gym. She ate healthily, she did all the right things. Was this really happening to us? It felt like we were living a scene from somebody else's life. How, in this day and age, did we not even have hope?

We chose not to be told likely timescales, but instead got on with our lives as best we could around Heather's gruelling treatment. We walked, we had many pub lunches, we went to Portugal, Dubai twice, the Monaco Grand Prix. We could never go anywhere for more than a week as we'd have to get back for the next cycle of chemotherapy.

It was on holiday in Portugal in July that Heather started to feel particularly unwell, breathless and reduced energy. In August she was admitted to hospital and we were told further devastating news; no further treatment was possible and Heather would need to be moved to a hospice to receive palliative care.

We had 31 magical nights together in Marie Curie hospice, Solihull, supported in the day by our amazing family and friends. Heather passed away on 23 September 2022 aged 44.

Before Heather died, I discussed with her running the London Marathon for Pancreatic Cancer. I told her that I thought I could raise £20,000. Heather looked at me and said, 'I think you'll smash that'. We now have no choice but to smash it.

So Heather and I are asking you to dig deep, very deep for this one. We want to make a difference, even if it's a small step to one day preventing another family being torn apart. 

Please click the link to donate.

Marcus and Heather xx