A woman from Morecambe is backing a cancer charity's Christmas challenge after losing her beloved sister and twice being diagnosed with the disease herself.
Pamela Williams has spoken out ahead of CancerCare's Big Give Christmas Challenge, about how the charity has supported her.
The challenge, held from December 3 to 10, will see donations made to a dedicated webpage doubled, thanks to the Julia Rausing Trust and generous supporters of the charity.
Pamela, 64, felt she didn’t have anywhere to turn after receiving two separate cancer diagnoses and losing her beloved sister, Janette, to the disease.
“They were there for me when nobody else was," she said.
Pamela was initially diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and made a full recovery.
Over the next few years, she lost her mother and eldest sister to cancer, and Janette was similarly diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
Pamela and Janette were close and it was a great relief when Janette was given the all clear.
However, her cancer returned at the same time as Pamela was diagnosed with lung cancer.
“It was a very hard time and while I was undergoing surgery, we found out that Janette wasn’t very well at all," said Pamela.
"I didn’t have time to grieve for my own illness and instantly put that aside to look after her.”
She was first introduced to CancerCare by a friend who previously had breast cancer, who asked if she might like to join her at the charity's monthly coffee morning in Lancaster.
CancerCare North Lancashire and South Cumbria is a local, independent charity who provide counselling and complementary therapies to people affected by cancer, bereavement or life-limiting illnesses.
Pamela attended sporadically in between caring for Janette and battling her own health problems. She also went to CancerCare’s weekly swimming sessions when she could.
“When I lost Janette, I wasn’t able to come to term with things,” she said.
“I was really depressed. I was crying a lot and I was pushing people who were closest to me away.”
Pamela initially accessed CancerCare’s nutritional therapy services at their Slynedales centre and she is currently having counselling sessions.
“My dietician, Debbie, didn’t focus on the doom and gloom by telling me what I should and shouldn’t be eating, but we had helpful conversations," she said.
"My counsellor, Jan, is so empathetic.”
Pamela has also been seeking advice about creating a Will and sorting her affairs for her family in the future by working through CancerCare's Ducks in a Row initiative, an informative guide designed to help plan for the future and give family members peace of mind.
“I’ve found that even talking to the lovely staff at the centre has helped me so much,” she said.
“I’ve been speaking to Anna (Legacy and Individual Giving Officer) about arranging my Will and leaving a gift to CancerCare. She’s been a god send. I now know how to go about making plans when the time comes.”
Pamela plays CancerCare’s weekly Lottery and she continues to attend the coffee mornings.
“If I could have done the Great North Run for CancerCare I would and whilst I can't give a lot, I buy cake at the coffee morning and I do the Lottery because I know every little bit helps," she said.
While Pamela is still undergoing regular scans and treatment, she feels like she’s found someone to lean on during these difficult times.
“CancerCare has provided me with so much information that I wouldn’t have had access to otherwise," she said.
"They’ve helped me find a little bit of positive and keep going when I didn’t know who to turn to. I was in such a bad place that I honestly don’t know where I’d be in my journey without CancerCare. They deserve everything and more.”
As a local charity, CancerCare relies on donations for more than 93 per cent of their funding.
You can donate to the Big Give Christmas Challenge HERE.
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