Over £2000 raised for pancreatic cancer in memory of Caithness woman
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A family have raised over £2000 for pancreatic cancer after stepping forward in memory of Caithness woman Melanie Spirit.
The grandchildren of Melanie, a former Wick High School biology teacher, were joined by other members of the family in a walk while on holiday in the county during July.
They had intended doing an eight-mile trek around the Greenock area. However, with the Covid-19 restrictions, the Big Step Forward in aid of Pancreatic Cancer UK turned into a virtual walk instead on July 25.
Daughter Naomi Spirit-Hawthorne said: "My son Leon had a plan to come up here where my mum loved so we could all do it together."
Leon (7) and his sister Nina (9) along with cousins Sofia (12), Isla (10) and Lizzie (8) wanted to raise money and help beat pancreatic cancer in memory of their beloved Nanny Mel.
They were joined by Melanie's husband Angus and her sister Wendy Mackay, Naomi's husband Derek and her brother Adrian.
On the Big Step Forward donation page Leon wrote: "My Nanny Mel was really nice and gentle. She got a really bad disease and a year after she died.
"That made me feel sad. I want to help because I don't want any other person to get that disease."
Sister Nina said: "Last year my Nanny Mel died of pancreatic cancer. It was a really sad time for her family and friends because she was such a kind and caring person.
"I don't want another family to lose a relative because it is such a traumatic experience so me, my mum, brother and dad are going to raise money for a charity that researches a better cure for people with the same disease as my nanny had."
Highlighting the importance of raising awareness of pancreatic cancer, Naomi said: "It is one of the most deadly cancers and it is really fast. We were lucky to get nine months with my mum after she was diagnosed."
The family started their walk with a four-and-a-half-mile loop at Rumster Forest, one of Mel's favourite walks. They then went down to the harbour at Lybster for a picnic, another place she had enjoyed.
After that they drove to the family home in Latheron and walked down to the strath, through the Fairy Glen and on to the harbour and back – around 7.8 miles in total.
Blown away by how much money has already been raised, Namoi said: "It has been phenomenal – we have had lots of support from friends and family and a lot of people who knew mum.
She added: "The kids' original target was £500. They were stunned to get past the £2000 mark."
They are on top of the fundraising leader board for the Big Step Forward with £2124.
Donations are still open on the Pancreatic Cancer UK event website https://www.thebigstepforward.org.uk/fundraisers/naomispirit-hawthorne/the-big-step-forward-virtual
