WHEN Lucy Bullock lost her fight against cancer at St Luke’s, brother Will Blake decided that he wanted to do something as a thank you for the support his sister received in her final days.
The fundraising challenge that Will, his wife Zannah and children Cleo and Kolo took on also revived happy memories of a holiday they had shared with Lucy and her husband Alan.
For they decided that between October 24 - what would have been Lucy’s 50th birthday - and Christmas Eve, they would run the equivalent of the 5,895 metre height of Africa’s Mount Kilimanjaro.
“Our two families had done a big adventure to Tanzania a few years ago and actually walked part of the way up Kilimanjaro,” said Will.
“We always said that when the children were older we’d go back and climb all the way up to the summit but when Lucy became ill, it was obvious that wasn’t going to happen.
“Night running up steep Devon lanes, where we live, was almost as exciting as Kilimanjaro, especially when we were joined by our lovely local friends whose encouragement and support was hugely appreciated, especially by 10 and 12 year old legs.”
Although they set out with target of £500, the family have now reached a total of £2,665, which will be split between St Luke’s, Rowcroft Hospice in South Devon and Cancer Research - a donation of £888.34 for St Luke’s.
“Lucy received such great care from St Luke’s that we wanted to do something special in return,” said Will.
“Despite all the restrictions caused by the pandemic, we were able to visit and spend time with her in the Garden Room while the children were in the garden and everybody was socially distanced.
“Being able to spend that sort of time with her meant so much to us as a family and we know that Lucy was looked after with great care and compassion.”