An Ipswich woman has paid tribute to her mother’s legacy, and said that now is the time to start having conversations about bowel cancer.
With April being the month of bowel cancer awareness, many of us have been remembering Dame Deborah James, who died last June. During her life, it was Dame Deborah’s mission to raise awareness of bowel cancer.
To date, more than £11.3 million has been raised in her name for the BowelBabe fund.
Thanks to your fantastic support, the Bowelbabe Fund for @CR_UK now stands at over £11.3m! 💜
— Cancer Research UK (@CR_UK) April 5, 2023
We're so pleased to continue Deborah's legacy by allocating some of the funds to pioneering bowel cancer research. Follow @BowelbabeFund on Instagram for more 👉 https://t.co/2ZcaJHsF5P pic.twitter.com/k5C7aJyuhR
However, for one family, there is another woman who fought the disease whose memory they are honoring this month.
On Thursday, Lucy Reynolds, 28, was a guest speaker at Chantry Library’s cancer support group. She began attending the group after her mother, Alison Thornton, was diagnosed with bowel cancer.
"Mum was diagnosed in January 2020,” explained Lucy.
“She didn’t have any symptoms. She had a stomachache one day and went to hospital after an ambulance was called.
“They immediately operated and fitted her with a stoma, which Mum called ‘Basil’. It was after that we were told that it was cancer and it had already progressed.
“It was stage four, and it was incurable.”
However, Alison did not lose her zest for life.
“Mum was the most bubbly, funny, outgoing person you could possibly imagine,” said Lucy. “If she could make someone laugh, she would. She would make friends with anyone and everyone.
“She put everyone else before herself. She was the best mum in the world, and an even better nanny.”
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Alison was born on November 18, 1971, the only child of Roy Peacock and Yvonne Martin. Alison was born in Cliffe Woods near Gravesend, but moved to Weston-super-Mare to start her own family, where she welcomed two daughters, Lucy and Emma.
The family then moved to Colchester, and Lucy now lives with her husband and daughter in Ipswich.
Alison worked as a floating support worker, helping people to maintain their tenancies and homeless people moving into accommodation.
“Anything she could do to help, she would,” said Lucy.
Five years ago, Alison was delighted to tie the knot with Dean Thornton, her loving partner of 15 years.
After her diagnosis, Alison set about ticking off dreams on her bucket list, determined to enjoy every second of time with her family she had left.
“She wanted to do so many things with her grandchildren,” explained Lucy. Alison was a devoted nanny to Lucy’s daughter, Layla, and Emma’s children, Theo and Ameliah.
Alison managed to tick off almost every wish on her bucket list, including going to LEGOLAND with her family, having a girls’ weekend away with her two daughters, and returning to a hotel in Brighton where she and Dean had stayed before.
Alison Thornton lost her battle with cancer on December 16, 2022.
Before her mother died, Lucy began attending the cancer support group at Chantry Library, knowing she would need people around her who understood her grief when her mother passed away.
“The time leading up to her death and since, I received nothing but love, kindness, support, advice, friendly faces and listening ears at Chantry library and the Cancer Support group,” Lucy said.
“No one and nothing can prepare you for losing a parent or a loved one, but what can help is supportive people, talking and taking each minute as it comes.
“People say things will get better but until then, I'll continue to seek the support of my family, friends and everyone at the library and the support group. If anyone is living with cancer or has been affected by cancer in any way, the support group can be a lifeline.”
To read more tributes to those we have loved and lost in Suffolk, click here.
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