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| Alison with Floella Benjamin in January 2013 after delivering her speech to the parliamentary reception. |
The trouble with getting involved with bowel cancer charities after diagnosis is that through these links we get to make friends often with people who have bowel cancer too at stage four. Mainly through the time I have spent on the beating bowel cancer forum I got to know Alison. We hit the forum right at the start and with out northern friend suze started to post to get it up and running. Alison was always good at advising newly diagnosed people, she showed her understanding of the turmoil that they must have been going through but tempered that with solid advice and lengthy responses to help reassure people but point them in the right direction to make sure that my symptoms were checked out.
I used to read her responses in awe of their depth, but followed her lead and did my best to emulate her responses when I came across someone new.
I also used to look forward to seeing her posts being placed, often we would just have some banter and as the forum grew and we had more regular posters it would be about catching up with each other and finding out how our days had gone.
Alison also used facebook and twitter and anyone who was involved with beating bowel cancer would be a friend. She was also tireless in her quest to ensure that bowel cancer shouldn't be the killer that it is through her work with beating bowel cancer in promoting awareness. Her final speech would be at the parliamentary reception at the Houses of Parliament in January, I was only a couple of weeks post op but so glad that I made the effort to be there as it would be the last time I would see her.
Her speech captured the audience as she talked bout her experience of care under the NHS and afterwards she came out for a drink. We hugged a goodbye, she was tired and limited to a wheelchair to get about more easily but her strength of character did not dwindle.
Who would know that only two months later this vibrant , ballsy, stoic woman would be gone.
The bowel cancer community miss her desperately, I miss her friendship and her care and our mutual understanding being in the same position.
This is my blog and with that in mind I have to touch on the fact that Alison's death has led me to contemplate my own mortality, she left us so quickly in the end, she was diagnosed after me and has gone before. I am so lucky to still be here and still well, but it gives me a sudden urgency to sort out my affairs, get that will signed, sort out the clutter, make sure things re in place for the boys. When will my time come? .......I can only hope that I leave even a tenth of the love behind me that Alison has, her just giving page is sailing towards two thousand pounds raised, the outpouring of love and messages from friends and acquaintances must be such a comfort to her family.
Rest easy Alison you did the best you could and now it's time for you to out your feet up and keep an eye on everyone from your new vantage point.....much love x x
