Hazel lights up life

Hazel loves travel. She’s backpacked to scores of exotic places, shoulder-to-shoulder with the love of her life ‘Kev’. They instinctively engaged with wonder, meeting people and immersing themselves in local culture, history and landscape. They travelled light but explored deeply.

“I’ve had life-altering experiences through travel. But I’m on a very different, lifechanging journey now. Through multiple cancers. First, it was breast cancer. I’ll never forget receiving that diagnosis. The emotional pain cut through my whole body. But I coped through acceptance and embracing different therapies.”

With the help of challenging but effective treatments, Hazel fully recovered:

“I had my life back. But soon I was getting headaches and feeling unwell. They found tumours in my brain and my spine. That was a difficult setback. I just went into survival mode. I didn’t cry for months.”

Once again, Hazel was enduring extensive treatments but her life-affirming outlook – and the extraordinary support of family, friends and colleagues – guided her back to full recovery.

“Little did I know that I was to receive an even more serious blow. They found cancer in the lining of my brain and spine which is the worst prognosis. I’m now on a miracle chemotherapy and antibody drug which is keeping me alive”

And today, while knowing she has to take care of herself, she is still taking care of others:

“I think I got my positive outlook and the desire to do good from my upbringing. My grandparents were Quakers and they instilled in their son, my wonderful dad, a passion for kindness and empathy.”

Today she’s urging people to support Light Up A Life:

“I adore Christmas. The magical atmosphere. Gathering with family and close friends. The magic of light. It’s a time of positive remembrance too and this is such a beautiful event.” She speaks with such grace about the hospice care she’s receiving:

“They’re extraordinary here. They have a beautiful human philosophy of holistic care – not just medicalised treatment. I’ve availed of lots of wonderful therapies too. And Kev has also received support through the social worker here.” “I accept that I’m going to die young. But I don’t want to die in hospital. Or in our precious home. I have it in my heart that my last few days or months will be here in this welcoming hospice of care, joy and – I’m delighted about that.”

Hazel continues to travel an unexplored road signposted by realism and optimism. She’s still helping others. Like being a sparkling ambassador for Light Up A Life. And that’s such a beautiful fit. She lights up lives every day. fragile shield she has carefully built to protect her loved ones, a different and difficult story of her illness unfolds.