“THIS WORKED FOR ME”

Jen Parker, a book publisher, lost her mother to cancer in 2019 and decided to abseil down a bridge in her memory.

‘My mother died shortly before my 33rd birthday in 2019. She was my biggest cheerleader and best friend,’ says Parker. ‘We loved celebrating her birthday together and I was anxious about how I would feel as it approached. I posted a selfie raising a glass to her with the hashtag #vivelaviv and asked people to join in with a selfie and donate money to Leicester Hospice Charity, the incredible hospice that looked after her. I raised more than £100, which felt amazing,’ she says. ‘The following year, I decided to abseil down a bridge, despite my crippling fear of heights. It was stressful, especially with lockdown making everything uncertain, but I enjoyed it so much that I did it twice, raising £3,000. I even had a moment of peace with the bridge – for which Mum held a quirky fascination – all of which combined to ease my grief.’ fuzzyflamingo.co.uk