Friends take to the mud in memory of their mums
A group of friends are taking on the Irish Tough Mudder to raise money for the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham Charity in memory of their mums.
Luke and Sam Walter are taking on the challenge in memory of their mum Kerry, with their cousins Daniel and James Jenkins joining them. Luke’s friend Edward Whitehead is taking part in memory of his mum Carol Whitehead.
Kerry and Carol were both treated for cancer, before sadly passing away. Now, their memory is being used as an inspiration for the team as they raise money by taking on the 12 mile course full of obstacles in Loughcrew, County Meath in July.
Luke and Sam’s mum Kerry will be fondly remembered by the whole team as they make their way around the course. Luke said: “My mom always lived to the full, she was a true adrenaline junkie and always pushed herself, never accepting that she couldn’t do this or that. She had cancer but she still lived her life on her terms right until the end.”
Luke, James, Kerry, Paul and Dan pictured during one of Kerry's Tough Mudder challenges.
Kerry was a keen athlete, taking on marathons before deciding to take up obstacle courses for an even bigger challenge. Luke said: “She signed us both up in 2014 for a Tough Mudder. I didn’t know at the time it was a 12 mile course with more than 25 obstacles ranging from electric shocks to swimming through a skip full of tonnes of ice.”
This was the start of a great challenge for Kerry, as she aimed to complete ten of these challenges before she turned 50. Sadly, it was around this time that she was diagnosed with cancer. However, this spurred her on even more, completing courses all over the UK and Ireland over the next four years.
Kerry certainly threw herself into the challenges!
She completed the ten challenges; including completing the final three in a four week period as her health was failing her. Luke said: “Despite having no hair, no energy and having tumours on her brain, neck and lungs she did it. 120 miles of mud, 250 obstacles, four years.”
Sadly, just eight weeks later Kerry died, just short of her fiftieth birthday. Luke said: “She became an inspiration to me for the rest of my life.” Speaking of the difference that the staff at QEHB made to his mum, Luke said: “The staff did everything they could to keep her alive for as long as they could. They do a phenomenal job and do not get the credit they deserve.”
Luke’s friend Ed is also running in memory of his mum, Carol, who also sadly died of cancer. Ed said: “My mum had an amazing talent for making things and was a very practical person. She was also very well-travelled and enjoyed spontaneously booking holidays all over the world with her friends and family.”
Ed (left), pictured with Carol and his twin brother Tom.
Carol was a teacher, and loved working with children. She worked with children with special educational needs, and in her spare time loved spending time with her three grandchildren: Reggie, Rose and Cruz.
Ed said: “She was the perfect role model and the epitome of a fantastic grandma.”
Carol was first diagnosed with bowel cancer, in its early stages, and the doctors were able to remove the cancer by removing part of her bowel. A few years later Carol’s cancer returned, this time in her liver as a secondary cancer. Again, surgery followed to remove 30% of her liver and she made a full recovery.
Two years later, the cancer returned again, and this time surgery wasn’t an option. Carol received chemotherapy treatment to shrink the cancer, and once again Carol managed to make a full recovery.
Then, after two more years, Carol’s cancer returned and she was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. The doctors found four tumours on her lungs, and the cancer had also spread to her brain. Carol passed away on 28 January 2017, aged 54. Ed said: “She had hold of my hand on one side of the bed, and Tom’s the other, until she took her final breath.”
Together, the team decided that they wanted to take on the Irish Tough Mudder, which Kerry completed in 2017 with Luke, Daniel and James. Speaking of their hopes, Luke said: “Let’s try and raise some cash so they can try and cure this horrible disease and keep many others alive for even just one more day with their loved ones.”
Roisin Mooney, Events Fundraising Assistant at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham Charity, said: “On behalf of everyone at the Charity I would like to wish Luke, Ed, Sam, Daniel and James the very best of luck for this incredible challenge. They are an inspirational team and it is deeply moving that they are raising money in memory of Kerry and Carol.
“The money that they raise will help us to continue to go ‘over and above’ for cancer patients at QEHB, providing equipment and funding research that could change the way that we treat cancer.”
You can support the team’s fundraising efforts here.
