Anne and George Lampey
In 2007 after receiving treatment for cancer at the Darent Valley Hospital Anne Lampey saw a poster for Stride 4 Life and decided that she would like to walk and give something back to the hospital. On the day Anne come along with her husband George who offered to help us get set up for the funday. The following year Anna walked again but this year she had also volunteered to run the soft toy tombola stall at the funday. George set up and run the stall until Anna returned from her walk. The couple is still running their stall on behalf of the Cancer Fighting Fund but now George also helps to set up other stalls for us as well. The day would not be the same without this couple who so kindly become two of our valued Stride 4 Life volunteers.
Price/King Family
In 2008 after going onto our web site the Price family felt that this may be an event that the whole family could take part in. Harry Price had lost his wife Joan after 53 years of marriage in 2008 (Joan had died at Darent Valley Hospital). The family wanted to do something for the hospital to say thank you for the kindness and care given to Joan.
So the family decided that they would all take part in Stride that year. Harry, his daughter Chris, son in law Ray, grandchildren and great grandchildren all took part in the Warwick Walk. They raised over £1000 between them. After their walk they stayed on and enjoyed the funday. They joined in the balloon release , letting off their balloons in memory of Joan, there were tears as the balloons went off, but they said that they had enjoyed the day celebrating Joan’s life.
The family continues to support Stride 4 Life. They now do the walk and also run a stall for us at the funday. Chris’s husband Ray is one of our marshalls and last year Ray lead the walk for us. Harry; who is 86 and still doing the Warwick Walk - last year he was our oldest walker and his great-granddaughter Keela was our youngest participant.
Nunn Family
In July 2010 the Nunn family from Swanley came along to take part in Stride 4 Life to celebrate Joyce Nunn recovering from kidney cancer after diagnosis in November 2009. Her consultant urologist, Mr Seshadri Sriprasad offered her cryosurgery. This equipment had been partly funded by donations from the previous year’s Stride 4 Life event. Cryosurgery is a cutting edge technology that freezes the cancerous tumours, thus cutting the blood supply to the tumour. Mrs Nunn had keyhole surgery and only spent 4 days in hospital. Mrs Nunn treatment was successful and she is now enjoying good health.
Mrs Nunn’s family, including her daughter Janice, were so pleased with the care given by the doctors and staff at Darent Valley Hospital that they wanted to say a big thanks to everyone. After reading about Stride 4 Life in her local paper Janice and a family friend, Andy Webb, decided that they would take part in the Stride 4 Life sponsored walk. Between them Janice and Andy raised the magnificent sum of £1750.00. Mrs Nunn came along to support them both and the three of them spent the rest of the afternoon enjoying the funday.
The Nunn family have continued to support us each year, Janice and Andy are doing the walk and Joyce and her friend Gladys can be seen in the hospital's main reception selling our draw tickets during the run up to Stride 4 Life.
Clare Ayres
In 2010 Clare, who had been receiving treatment for breast cancer decided to take part in Stride 4 Life. The following year Clare and her husband Geoff and other members of her family again did the Warwick Walk and raised approximately £1000.
In addition to doing the walk Clare is available all year round. She goes around getting raffle prizes from shops, friends and so on. She sell raffles ticket in the hospital’s reception and amongst her many friends. She supports our Pamper Evenings by running the raffle and selling tickets. Clare is always looking for new ways to raise monies for the Cancer Fighting Fund. This year she has offered to run a water station on the Warwick Walk and her and husband Geoff are providing all the bottles of water.
Tracey and Roy Wilkinson
In 2010 Tracey Wilkinson lost her aunt to cancer. Both Tracey and her husband Roy wanted to do something to help other families who were dealing with the illness. Roy decided to do the sponsored walk. He also asked if there was any way that Tracey could run a stall at Stride. Ever since then Roy has walked and Tracey has had her stall. Not only does Tracey run her stall at she also does Christmas and Easter Raffles. She visits all the local shops around the Dartford area for her raffle prizes. She has a number of friends that she has now persuaded to come along and join her and Roy on the walk and stall. She is full of ideas and all she wants is that other families are spared what her family had to suffer.
Sarah Oakwell
In November 2010 Sarah Oakwell, aged 35, was diagnosed with breast cancer. Sarah, who lives in Chadwell St Mary, Essex, chose to be treated at Darent Valley Hospital. This was because she had given birth to her daughter Rosie, now aged 4 years at Darent Valley Hospital. She was so pleased with the way she was treated at the hospital that she decided that was where she wanted to come and have her cancer treatment.
While she was on one of her visits to the hospital she picked up a leaflet about Stride 4 Life and whilst Sarah was not well enough to take part in the sponsored walk herself, her husband Scott along with her mum Linda Kelly, brother Matt and other family members all took part in the sponsored walk and between them raised £2079.
Sarah has now completed her treatment and this year she will be taking part in the Stride 4 Life walk with her husband, brother, sister-in-law and nephew Jack. Sarah said that she was given the best possible care and treatment at DVH and wanted to feel that she is giving something back. Sarah would like to say a special thank to Seema Seetharam, Consultant Breast Surgeon and also Sylvia who was her nurse whilst having her treatment.
If like Sarah Oakwell or any other of our friends, you would like to take part in this year’s sponsored walk either telephone us 01322 428392 or complete an online registration form by clicking HERE.
