A daughter’s tribute: walking for Philippa’s strength

In celebration of Mother's Day, we're sharing the inspiring story of Philippa and her daughter, Sarah.

Philippa's journey with oesophageal cancer, marked by major surgery and chemotherapy, is one of incredible courage. Sarah, deeply moved by her mother's strength, is taking part in our Stride for Cancer Care sponsored walk with her mum for the third time this year.

“My mum is a phenomenal and wonderful person. She has always been there to support me when I needed it and is so supportive and understanding. She has so much courage and doesn't let anything pull her down," Sarah shares.

Mother's Day for Sarah is a moment to demonstrate her love and appreciation of her mum, and to make it clear how proud she is of Philippa for her strength: it's a day to celebrate her achievements and the unwavering support she provides.

In the spirit of Philippa's resilience, Sarah has signed up for Stride for Cancer Care again this year. This October, she's taking on the 25km challenge, a personal feat to honour her mum’s journey and to support our cancer centre that provided invaluable care.

“I signed up to walk to help support the centre that has done their best to look after my mum when there was nothing I could do to help her," Sarah explains. "Walking with my mum these past two years has been an amazing experience. We didn't care that we were the slowest of the group; we were just proud we achieved the distance – especially encouraging each other up some of those hills.”

The challenges of the walk mirrored the challenges of Philippa's cancer journey – demanding, yet overcome with strength and determination. "My mum is an inspiration to me, and I hope I can face things with even a quarter of her courage,” Sarah adds. “The first year we walked, she was only four months past surgery, and then the second year, she was mid-chemotherapy. I couldn't be more proud that she is my mum."

This year, join us in celebrating strength, resilience, and the power of community. Whether you're making strides for your mum, a loved one, or simply to make a difference, your steps will support the future of world class cancer care.

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Thank you to our sponsors, Russell Cawberry.