Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

I am raising money in loving memory of the late and unbelievably great Emma Kate Murray; my sister in law. 

Emma was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer in 2015. An aggressive, uncommon cancer and whose cells don’t have the usual receptors for the hormones oestrogen, progesterone or HER2 protein. This means that treatments which are hormone based, which is the vast majority, don’t work on Triple Negative cancer. Still very young, and in the midst of planning her wedding, this news came as a devastating shock. But Emma had been pro-active, she had found the lump in her breast and sought advice quickly. The medics would make no promises but were optimistic that treatment as aggressive as the disease itself could be successful.

She underwent a gruelling 6 months of chemotherapy followed by surgery and radiotherapy. The treatment was brutal but Emma ploughed on and always said that as long as it was working she would keep going. It did work and in July 2016 she was considered ‘in remission’. Emma was ecstatic and planned the wedding she’d had to put on hold in 6 manic weeks! This reflected her determination and sheer happiness to be alive and to be given another chance. Emma made a speech at her wedding which those who were lucky enough to hear will probably never forget- money received as a gift at the wedding was donated to cancer charities. 

At the beginning of 2018 things started to feel a little bit wrong. Emma had been struggling a lot with back pain and feeling generally unwell and in February we were given the news we most dreaded; the cancer had returned and had spread to her bones.

With a secondary diagnosis we all knew that the outlook wasn’t good, it was not going to be the same as last time. The potential for a happy ending was highly unlikely but none of us, particularly Emma had any intention of giving up. Emma was willing to try anything and we were 100% behind her.

Treatment options were very limited but she began chemotherapy again, together with radiotherapy, injections and surgery to try and strengthen her bones which the cancer had weakened. Sadly the treatment had little to no effect and her health took a very rapid and serious decline.

We as a family couldn’t digest the news that this was happening all over again but took a shred of comfort in plans to create some precious memories with Emma, spending her final years/ months enjoying holidays and days out together.

Cancer took all that away from us. It took hold of her so quickly that medical professionals couldn’t get a grip on it. We will never forget what it did to her in such a short space of time, leaving her confined to a wheelchair in just 2 months. 

The day the oncologist told us that there was nothing more that they could do and now it was about the best way to keep her comfortable, we as a family will remember for the rest of our lives. 

Emma died at the Royal Stoke hospital on Friday July 6th 2018 just 4 months after the cancer returned. She was 36 years old.

Cancer took my sister in laws life. It robbed my wife of her best friend, her parents of their first born child, my brother in law of his newly wedded wife and my children of their precious and much loved Aunty. 

I want to raise money for Breast Cancer Now to help prevent other families having to go through what we went through and are still going through. I’m doing this for Emma and in honour of her memory. I think it’s what she would want. 

Please show your support and any amount you can offer big or small will be very greatfully received. 

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.