Marlborough Express - Weekend Express
Look Who’s Talking: Kathryn Martin
This week we talk to Kathryn Martin who is taking part in the Relay for Life in memory of Trish McKee. Kathryn’s daughter Claire is also taking part in the event.
What was the inspiration behind putting a team together for this Relay for Life event?
After we lost my brother, Alan Gill, to cancer in 2010, our extended family entered the Lower Hutt Colour Run and raised funds for the Te Omanga Hospice where Alan was cared for in his last days.
My sister, Trish McKee, succumbed to cancer in August this year and was supported by Cancer Society Marlborough and Hospice Marlborough during her short battle.
After seeing that the Relay for Life is going back to an overnight event, my daughter Claire approached the extended family about entering a team in Trish’s memory.
What is it about the relay that attracts people to enter do you think?
The Relay for Life is an event where people feel supported by others, as they remember and reflect on the lives of the people we have lost.
What do you think will be the main challenges on the night?
The weather! Fingers crossed it’s a calm, starry night.
What are you looking forward to the most?
Being with friends and family, remembering Trish and celebrating her life.
Are any of your team members doing this in memory of someone specific and how important is that to you as a team?
All of our members will be family or friends of Trish. There are no words that do justice to who she was and what she meant to us. A wonderful, selfless lady with an enormous heart, who fought to the end – she was taken much too soon.
What would you say to someone who is considering entering the Relay for Life?
If you have the time, then please join us. The Cancer Society offer so much to those affected by this hideous disease, their service is invaluable.