When I take part in Shine, I’ll bethinking of my dear friend Dina Lazarus. Dina’s family are old friends but I got to know Dina when she asked me for advice about becoming a journalist.

 

Then in 2009, eight months into her dream job as a writer, she was diagnosed with bowel cancer.

 

‘Characteristically, Dina decided to “fight it” and give herself the best quality of life she could in the circumstances.

 

Her hair fell out, so she got a wig (affectionately called “Annabel”).

 

She underwent rounds and rounds of chemo, but the disease spread to much of her body including a lung and an ovary. In the middle of all this, she was determined to organise a cancer charity auction. In one fabulous evening on the top floor of Foyles she raised over £16,000.

 

Last summer we went to Italy together. Dina laughed and played with my daughter, and we made plans to organise a comedy fundraiser.

 

But this April she became very sick and at the beginning of June entered a hospice. I saw her before I left for a holiday. “Goodbye darling, see you when you are back,” she said. But she died a few days later.

 

Dina, my love, I will be walking for you and everyone who has suffered from this disease. I hope one day a treatment will be found so that nobody has to go through what you did.

 

 Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

 

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity. So it’s the most efficient way to donate – saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

 

So please dig deep and donate now.