“Holding a Walk In Her Name helps us get some positives out of the tragedy of Aleasha’s death”

Rob Coan, and his sons Oliver and Toby, will be holding a Walk In Her Name next month in memory of his wife Aleasha. He explains why the event means so much to them.

"On 26th March I, along with my two sons Oliver (13) and Toby (12), will be doing our third Walk In Her Name event since my wife and their mum, Aleasha died in 2015. The date is especially significant as it’s Mother’s day and just two days before what would have been Aleasha 39th birthday.

For our walk we will be inviting family and friends to join us again and make a £5 donation to our tribute fund in memory of Aleasha and in aid of her chosen charity Ovarian Cancer Action.

We hope that the event and money donated, will help raise awareness and fund the ground breaking research that the charity does to help further prevention, treatment and cure for this horrible disease.

As a family we know how devastating it can be and how difficult it is to recognise the symptoms, especially in young women.

Aleasha had a very rare Granulosa Cell Tumour diagnosed only after she had elected to have a hysterectomy at the age of 32. No one knew it was there before, despite her having hospital tests done and suffering from various problems. Awareness and early diagnosis are keys to tackling this disease.

Participating in this event is an opportunity for us to get some positives out of the tragedy of Aleasha’s death. Though the tumour was not the cause of death, it was the catalyst to it. The family can come together to both comfort each other and celebrate this remarkable woman and know that every penny raised goes to a fantastic charity.

The walk itself is along the picturesque Wivenhoe Trail in Colchester. It is a location that is special to us as Aleasha loved to walk there with our dog and really felt at peace.

It is also perfect for any age as it flat and a 5 mile round trip with a railway station at each end, to help those that cannot do long distances but still want to take part."

Would you like to hold your own Walk In Her Name in honour of a loved one affected by ovarian cancer? Find out more and register today for your free fundraising pack. If you would like to celebrate the courage and strength of a woman touched by ovarian cancer through our Tribute Fund email fundraising@ovarian.org.uk for more information.