Bekii’s story

As many of you know our amazing mum recently passed away from cancer. She had only been given a few weeks to live in May 2024 when they found she had bone metastasis, but mum fought valiantly and relentlessly for a year before her body succumbed.

She never gave in! Even on the morning she was admitted to Overgate, her palliative nurse Lou, found her weeding the patio! She spent over 8 weeks in Overgate, again, surpassing what the doctors had predicted! Even in her final few days, drinking sherry and dancing with the nursing staff with the most beautiful smile and twinkling eyes!

What many of you won’t know, is that at the same time we were given mum’s terminal diagnosis, I too was diagnosed with stage 3 bowel cancer that had spread to my liver. I didn’t have the typical symptoms so it was in later stages before it became noticeable. I underwent emergency surgery for a stoma as the tumour had blocked my colon and started gruelling chemotherapy whilst my wonderful sister Michelle, was desperately trying to hold the family together, running me to appointments, scans, blood tests, chemo and doing everything for our mum.

Although I no longer have bowel cancer, I still have liver mets and the cancer has spread in my lymphatic system to another area, para aortic lymph node metastases (PALN). The management for this is limited.

Nic’s story

I am doing this skydive for Bec, she is one of the bravest people I have ever met. She has been through so much and still manages to have a smile on her face and a wicked sense of humour.

Having to go through all the operations and treatment whilst also caring for her mum is so inspiring.

I hadn’t had much experience with Overgate but being part of Bec’s journey with her mum has opened my mind to just how special a place it is.

Overgate is such a crucial part of our community and throughout our lives you are bound to know at least one person, probably more, who have needed or will need their services in the future.

Whether end of life, the day centre, support for family and loved ones or just somewhere to get advice. It has such a positive impact in our community and I wanted to help in anyway I could. The care, compassion and dignity every single employee of Overgate provides is invaluable. Which is what lead me to make this insane decision to jump out of a plane even though I’m petrified of heights!

Please, please help me raise money, in honour of my mum, but also in honour of every single person that has ever needed their help and will in years to come. Whatever you can spare will be gratefully appreciated. Let’s do this for the future of our community!

Thanks for reading!