‘It’s tragic... but actually Sarah got everything she wanted in the end’
Headteacher enjoyed ‘full-on’ wedding thanks to family and friends before she died from brain tumour just over week later
A‘KIND, generous and beautiful’ headteacher died just over a week after she got married.
Sarah Peacock was diagnosed with a brain tumour two years ago after suffering with headaches and collapsing at school.
She and her partner Richard Hewitson, 50, held onto the dream of having a “fantastic wedding” once her chemotherapy was over, but the cancer came back even more aggressively in autumn 2021, prompting them to move from Chester to Formby to be with her family.
In October last year, she was given six to 12 months to live when she’d previously had up to six. By January, this was reduced to four to six weeks. The couple and their friends and family jumped into gear organising a “full-on” wedding in Our Lady’s Church in Lydiate.
Richard said: “I think it was the one thing that kept Sarah going. It’s something to look forward to. It’s something to plan for. And it was the best thing we could have done, because otherwise, what do you do? What do you actually do if somebody says you’re going to die?”
He added: “It’s tragic that it was cut so short, but actually Sarah got everything she wanted in the end. All she wanted was to be married and have her family around her, and she kind of got that right at the very end. It was an amazing wedding.
“We had a full-on wedding dress, a full-on venue, reception, church, everything! Fantastic, it was. Absolutely brilliant. Everybody just came together to make it happen. It was just not the most stunning day. It was the most stunning day because everybody knew it was a day they all wanted to remember.”
Sarah’s health deteriorated immediately after the wedding on January 22, 2022, with her ability to move dwindling until she was in a wheelchair and then bedridden for three days. She died, aged 46, surrounded by family while Richard was in the shower, 10 days after they got married.
Preparing for that day by arranging Sarah’s benefits entitlement and pension while she was still well made the end easier for Richard. He said: “It doesn’t mean you are accepting that you’re going to die you can plan for the worst and hope for the best - but things like pensions can take a long time to sort out. It helped that we had got everything in order so we could have some great times, whatever happened.
“It meant we could spend the last few weeks building great memories. People talk about bucket lists - going to Thailand or whatever - but we were able to build emotional buckets. We built strong, happy memories with our families and friends that we will all treasure for ever.”
For Sarah’s 40th birthday, they spent two weeks travelling by train from Liverpool to Budapest, stopping off in Paris and Prague on the way. They planned another trip through France and Spain, and home by ferry, which Richard will do alone next week.
Richard shared his story for Brain Tumour Awareness Month this March to help others in a similar situation. He wanted to pay special thanks for the support he got from Sarah’s school, Our Lady of Good Help in Wavertree, the cancer support charity Maggie’s, and The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre.
Dr Chloe May, consultant clinical oncologist at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre, who cared for Sarah, said: “Sarah was a wonderful lady with a hugely caring family to support her. It was a pleasure to look after her and she is sorely missed.
“Brain tumours like Sarah’s are incredibly complex with a huge impact on someone and their family. Caring for people such as Sarah involves providing care that looks at the whole person and the impact their condition is having on their life and those around them, as well as treating the cancer.
“Our Neuro-Oncology team is focused on holistic care and includes specialist nurses, allied health professionals and other colleagues - we all help patients and those close to them with the emotional and practical support that is so important.”
‘All she wanted was to be married and have her family around her, and she kind of got that right at the very end’ Sarah’s husband Richard Hewitson