rivers2cross

It was gut-wrenchingly sad today to hear the news from Melbourne about the death to bowel cancer of Nicole Cooper. One of the kindest and most wonderful souls, who did so much to advocate for bowel cancer patients and raise awareness about bowel cancer.

She was a young mother to Joshua and married to Tim. She came from the most beautiful family and my love and thoughts are very much with all her family and friends x

Kindest was part of her DNA. I reached out to her about 5 years ago to be in my fundraising book, The Record, and from that moment on we struck up a firm friendship. Not only did she support the book but was always someone I could turn to about anything at any time. Living 11,000 miles away meant we had to meet up for the chapter in the book via a WhatsApp video call and then Nicole sent me a photo taken especially by her brother Sean.

However, we did get to meet in 2019 at Trafalgar Square when Nicole and her family were in Europe on holiday. She was just that lovely Nicole that we all saw every day on Instagram and a real joy to meet. I can remember that she was desperately trying to find a decent coffee in London!

Bowel cancer has taken so much from so many people. Losing mum in 2016 broke my heart, but perhaps the one positive and amazing thing that this awful disease has given me has been the many extraordinary friendships that I have made over the last 10 years. Nicole was one of the most special friendships I’ve had without doubt, and this news is devastating.

Nicole was initially written off when she was given her stage 4 diagnosis in 2017. However, she pushed for and sought out a second opinion which gave her a small window of opportunity for treatment, which she grabbed and gave her 5 more years of life. It’s impossible to fully appreciate everything she went through just to stay alive, including the numerous surgeries.

She leaves a massive legacy, which will play a big part in more bowel cancer patients getting better treatment options and outcomes. However, what Nicole said in her final post, was so moving and spot on as ever… A measure of the wonderfully inspiring and beautiful soul she was. She had a way with words like no other. Beautiful and sad, and so very moving… Rest in peace Nicole xx

Nicole’s final post…

“When it comes to wrapping up, cancer is not the thing I want to sign out on. Cancer is not the thing “wrapping up” this family.

Because actually, the stuff that matters is the stuff that we have built together for each of us: the shared respect, joy, compelling and insightful commitment, and unwavering authenticity to the real nuts and bolts of being alive. It’s the fragility of this, the incomparable everythingness, the preparedness to take every risk for this group, to truly declare that living in my most scared and vulnerable and weak and wonderful was worth it all.

Because I got to do it with all of you. That is the purpose of things. That is what I wrap up from.

And that is what I know you all are just beginning to champion for us, for every day, for evermore.”