Lisburn woman taking Twilight Walk in memory of her mum

Ashleigh Connor, from Maze, Lisburn has signed up to take part in the Twilight Walk for Marie Curie and would like others to join her. This year's walk is taking place at Barnett Demesne, South Belfast, on Friday, September 28. at 7.30pm.
Ashleigh Connor, from Maze, Lisburn has signed up to take part in the Twilight Walk for Marie CurieAshleigh Connor, from Maze, Lisburn has signed up to take part in the Twilight Walk for Marie Curie
Ashleigh Connor, from Maze, Lisburn has signed up to take part in the Twilight Walk for Marie Curie

There will be a festival atmosphere with music, entertainment and a spectacular fireworks display to finish off.

People take part for all sorts of reasons. A large proportion walk in memory of someone they have lost. Ashleigh is remembering her mum, Joan Frame, who was cared for in the Marie Curie Hospice, Belfast.

She said: “Mum took a pain in her side just before Christmas 2017. Investigations revealed that she had cancer in her bowel and that is was very aggressive. In the following months she spent time in the Royal Victoria and City Hospitals. By this time it was clear that this was a terminal illness.

“We were called to the City one night in May and were told that she wasn’t expected to last the night. However, she was still there the next morning and it was decided to move her to Marie Curie. I must admit that I dreaded the thought of this. I believed it would be a dark, gloomy place.

“Later that day I went to visit Mum. I was shocked to see her sitting up in bed eating a meal. She had been washed and changed and looked like a different person. The place was lovely and bright and airy and the room was miles bigger than the hospital room she had been in. All the staff were lovely and friendly. The chef would visit and ask her what she wanted to eat.

“Because we had so much more space we were able to sleep there which we did on quite a few occasions. We really enjoyed the 18 ‘bonus days’ we had with her until she passed away on May 28.

“Even after this, we have had great support from the bereavement team, who have helped with materials for our children to help them understand. I did not know much about the work of Marie Curie before but I cannot thank them enough for all they have done.”

To register visit www.mariecurie.org.uk/twilightwalk or phone 028 9088 2060. Registration is £10 and the charity simply asks that participants raise as much sponsorship as they can