Peace Will Come to You in Time...

There is a garden in her face

Where roses and white lilies grow;

A heavenly paradise is that place

Wherein all pleasant fruits do flow.

There cherries grow which none may buy,

Till 'Cherry ripe' themselves do cry.

Ten years ago on 6th September 2002 we lost our beloved mum after a very brave fight with cancer.

She was brave and dignified throughout her illness and always thought about others before herself; even during her most difficult times.

Kate and I have nearly finished our ten race challenge.....ten races to signify 10 years.

Dad has supported us throughout the 4 months, as the official Team Tonia coach and as mum's best friend.

On 16th September we will run our final 5km and guess what.....we want you there!!!!

Whether you run, jog, walk with the dog or push a buggy, we want you to join us for the final time.

We were so young when mum died. I was just finishing university and Kate was newly married to Nick. Mum and Dad were looking forward to retiring and spending holidays in their camper van and we all assumed that mum would one day enjoy being a grandmother. This is why Cancer Research UK is so very important. If money can be raised to improve chances for sufferers and one day find a cure for this horrible disease then surely we should all be fighting in every way we can. 

More than 1 in 3 people in the UK will develop some form of cancer during their lifetime and over 880 people every day are being diagnosed with a form of the disease. 

This challenge has been a very personal one for so many. Every one of the hundred runners in Team Tonia has been directly affected or known someone who has had this dreadful disease. 

We ran in Hyde Park along side a friend whose mother was going through chemotherapy. We ran with a family in Basingstoke whose young cousin has been struck down with an aggressive form of cancer and we walked alongside so many of our friends who have lost their mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers and friends. I have run each and every race knowing that one of my friends is fighting breast cancer, she is barely older than me. We were joined by one of mum's closest friends in Salisbury and mum's sister in law and nieces in Oxford and we watched in Salisbury as the Team Tonia balloons were released and our messages of remembrance floated off into the sky. 

We could not have done this challenge without the amazing support from our family and friends who have completed many of the runs with us. It is credit to mum that so many people wanted to get involved. She clearly touched people's hearts and left a memory to which we have all wanted to remember by taking part in the Race for Life events. 

Tonia Oldacre.....she was a loving mum, a wife, daughter and sister. She was a friend to so many, a colleague and an Aunt. She was just wonderful and she didn't deserve to lose her battle. She didn't deserve to miss out on meeting her grandchildren. 

Briallen, Angus and Beau all know who 'Special Grandma' is and over time so will Henry and Barnaby. They have two story books written about her and recognise her in all of the family photos. We tell them she is in heaven and looking down upon us from the stars and Bria and Angus understand she was poorly; too poorly to get better. 

Please help us to help Cancer Research UK on what will be a very special last race for a very special person, who ten years on is never forgotten but very much missed.

Rest your wings my butterfly

Peace will come to you in time                                                   

And I will sing this lullaby                                             

Know though I must leave, my child                                             

That I would stay here by your side  
                                               

And if you wake before I'm gone                                                 

Remember this sweet lullaby                                           

The world has turned the day to dark                                             

I leave this night with heavy heart                                               

When I return to dry your eyes                                                       

I will sing this lullaby

                                                         We love you mum xxx