In the summer of 2019 weeks after retiring from a lifetime of teaching Anne was inspired by her daughter Clare and Clare's husband George to take part in the 'Ride London Event'. Anne encouraged me to actually take part with her. Whilst Anne was a keen cyclist (using her bike in all weather to get to and from Tamworth where she lived to Dordon School - and was actually affectionally known by locals as the 'bike lady'). I did not even own a bike and one was was quickly purchased to initially train and then successfully undertake the 50 mile event in London. We had both lost our mother's through cancer at an early age and used the event to raise money for 'Cancer Research'.

Little were we to know that only two months after the event Anne was to be diagnosed with a rare aggressive form of cancer of the abdomen/bowel. At the time of this diagnosis Anne (a former PE teacher like myself) would weekly undertake at least two 7 mile runs, 100 lengths of the Snow Dome swimming pool plus her cycling and numerous walks with the dog! 

After an operation numerous types of drug treatments were tried in an attempt to slow the progress of the disease. We made a list of places we wanted to visit/do whilst well enough. We booked trips in between chemo but alas after having a lovely few days in Hereford (Despite the floods at the time) Covid restrictions and the need to shield ended all opportunities including a trip to Italy. Thankfully Anne managed to see the two life events that she was so looking forward to attending - the marriage of son Richard and the birth of Anne's second grandson Leo. Sadly she weakened and slipped away from us last August in the St Giles Hospice facility in Whittington. 

St Giles engaged with us at an early stage of her treatment and gave wonderful advice and reassurance throughout. When we rang them they responded appropriately with home visits when needed. They went beyond what we could expect and this prompted Anne to comment to them 'that if she was able to give them a star rating of 6 out of 5 on review data she would.' so supportive was their efforts - nothing was too much.

Anne asked that we support the work of St Giles as much as we can in future years for the benefit of their work with others. She asked that many of her possessions be given to St Giles on her death and this has and is being done. It is fitting that as well as undertaking in raffles and buying my Christmas cards from the hospice that I am able to take part in their 77 mile Spring Cycle Event and hopefully raise more funds for this wonderful institution.  

My heartfelt thanks to you and to St Giles for your support - Chris (Sumner)