In memory of Mom

As some of you may be aware I lost my Mom just before Xmas 2013. She died of cancer, a rare and aggressive liver cancer that affects the bile ducts called cholangiocarcinoma.
She had been diagnosed 5 weeks previously and told that she had 4-6 months. So you can image that it can as even more of a shock when she died just 5 weeks after getting her diagnosis.

The last few months have been very hard for myself and my family; trying to come to terms with Moms illness and diagnosis and then her death.

Having had cancer myself, I knew that Mom would not be able to cope with the chemotherapy that was the only option that was open to her, even though we were told it may only prolong her life by a couple of months, if that.

As it was, Mom decided that she didn't want any treatment. She eventually went into a hospice and died there 2 days later.

Living so far away from her, and with my own health being not good, meant that I didn't see her before she died. I had seen her 4 weeks previously when we went down to visit her when she was diagnosed and had intended to go again once she was settled in the hospice, but sadly she passed away before I could get there.

Since her death I have found it increasingly difficult to cope. The feeling of helplessness has been overwhelming. I was able to fight for myself through my own cancer diagnosis and treatment but I couldn't do it for my Mom. I wanted to wrap her in cotton wool and protect her from the awful things that were happening to her body. I felt totally helpless being so far away, knowing there was nothing I could do.

21st March would have been her Birthday. I knew it would be a difficult time, not just for me but for the whole family. I wanted to do something in her memory. My own ill health prevented me from running a marathon, or climbing any mountains or jumping out of a aeroplane!!!

So I decided to do what I do best, run a fundraising auction in her memory. I decided to raise funds for AMMF - the only cholangiocarcinoma charity in UK.

The auction can be found here Mom's Auction and runs until 6pm Sun 23rd March. There are lots of lovely handmade items to bid on and I'm hoping that I can raise at least £250 for AMMF.

I've decided to do one for them every year in memory of Mom - they need money to help fund research as well and it also helps raise awareness of them and the cancer that kills around 1,800 people each year in the UK. It will also help me cope each year as her Birthday comes round.

Please check out the AMMF website for more information.

Thank you.