We may be lucky, we may never be touched by cancer, we may march our way through our lives, blessed without ever knowing it. Or we may not, it could be ourselves or a loved one and then it’s there – staring you in face.  It knows no boundaries, doesn’t care where you live, how you live, whether you are rich or poor.  Unapologetic , brash and unforgiving.

This is my beautiful Carolyn ( ‘r’ Scraggs).  My best friend for 33 years, my confidant, my  ‘sunshine on a rainy day’. Vibrant, loud, uncontrollable, for those who knew her would say, they could hear her before they saw her.  You knew she was in the same building, well before this tall, elegant brunette came within 10 feet of you. This didn’t change, even when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her instantly recognisable laughter still echoed around the room (although she needed to sit down a hell of a lot more).  Eventually she reluctantly reined in her constant social life, but still insisted on making appearances at most weddings, birthdays and girls get togethers - if not to drink at least to laugh at those who did.

So who helped my friend? Who guided her when the days were so hard even loved ones struggled to find the right things to do and say?

Macmillan & Dorothy House Hospice.

Without these people the last few years may have been different. They kept Carolyn and those around her safe – held out a hand when everyone was lost.  Put people’s heads in the best places.

We named Dorothy House, Dot House.  As teenagers we used to shop at TopShop and Dorothy Perkins, which we nicknamed Dot P’s so it became obvious to us that Dorothy House should be Dot House. Carolyn raised money for both Macmillan and Dot House and requested that when she passed we would use her belongings and raise money for Dot House.

Carolyn passed away on 28 April 2011, at home in her husband’s arms.

None of us know where we will end our days, all we can hope is that we are surrounded by love and are given the care to make our final days peaceful.

Thanks to Macmillan and Dot House our ‘Scraggs’ had this and so I ask, even if it is a just a few pounds please donate, let’s make someone else’s life just that little bit better.