Ballymena sisters will trek Nepal for cancer charity

TWO Ballymena women are preparing to step out in style as part of a charity trek to Nepal in memory of their beloved sister.

Gillian Beattie and Gloria Blake will be taking part in the Macmillan Cancer Support trek in November in memory of their sister Jennifer, who passed away last May - just six months after being diagnosed with cancer.

The mother-of-three had been a keen walker but in June 2010 began to experience pain in her hips; she had also been experiencing tiredness but a visit to her doctor initially suggested it was due to the menopause.

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Gloria explained: “She continued to get worse and worse until one day when she was in the shower and she found a lump on her back.”

A biopsy was taken which revealed Jennifer had cancer but sadly the disease was too far advanced. The disease was primarily in her lungs and lymph nodes but also in her sacrum, the bones at the base of the spine. She sadly passed away on May 26 last year.

“After she found out she had cancer, she always said to us: “If you feel something isn’t right, you push and push until you’re satisfied”,” Gloria added.

Gillian added that their sister had retained her dignity to the end.

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“Jennifer fought it right to the end - she never complained,” Gillian said.

The three sisters had previously discussed the idea about taking part in a charity trek but had never got around to signing up.

Gillian added: “After Jennifer died, I said to Gloria we should do one because it would be a challenge, we would be raising money for Macmillan, and it is something Jennifer would have wanted us to do.”

As part of their fundraising in advance of the trip, the two women have organised a fundraising disco in the Michelin Club in Ballymena on March 16. A second event will take place in June in Enniskillen, where Jennifer and her family lived.

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“The trek has been good because it has given us something to focus on,” Gillian said.

She added: “The whole family is still trying to come to terms with Jennifer’s death and it is still very raw.

“We all cope in our ways but it has been very hard for the family, both for me and Gloria and also for our brother Robert and our mother and father, Robert and Sylvia, not to mention Jennifer’s husband Stanley and her three boys Nigel, Kyle and Craig.

“It has hit everyone very hard also but they are very supportive of the trek to Nepal and helping us to fundraise.”

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Gloria added: “To be honest, I don’t think it has hit me yet. I’m keeping busy organising the fundraisers and training for the trek.

“The family think what we are doing is brilliant; my partner keeps encouraging me and my two girls are helping to organise some of the things we are doing to help raise money for our fundraising.”

The ladies have to raise over £3,000 each as part of their fundraising efforts, but as Gloria commented, it’s for a very worthy cause.

“It costs £194 per week for a Macmillan nurse to come into a home, so any money we can raise that can help this charity will be great,” Gloria said.

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She added: “There are very few families who aren’t touched by cancer so we are hoping people will dig deep.”

Gillian and Gloria will set off on their 11-day trip on November 1 but have already began their training in preparation. During the trek, they’ll be walking for up to eight hours a day on difficult terrain.

“Neither of us have done anything like this before so it’s taking time to adapt to,” Gillian said.

And, as the only two people from Northern Ireland taking part in the trek, they will have to rely on training with each other.

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“There is a 16-week training schedule we have to follow so it’s vital to put the time in before we leave,” Gillian added.

She continued: “At the moment we are building up our training slowly but there’s no doubt it will be challenging.

“Jennifer always said “don’t be sitting about, do something with your life” and now we are.”

* Gillian and Gloria are holding their fundraising disco in the Michelin Club on March 16 from 8pm. Music will be provided by Storm and there will be a raffle, games and an auction, with tickets to see Westlife up for grabs.

Tickets are £8 and can be obtained by contacting Gillian on 07922 871072 or Gloria on 07900 565153.