Family’s £44k tribute to mam Betty after they lost her to cancer
A family have raised tens of thousands of pounds for Macmillan Cancer Support.
Lynne Coulson lost her mum Betty Burnett, from Peterlee, to pancreatic cancer in 2010, which had a profound impact on her and the rest of the family.
Since then as a family group, they’ve raised more than £44,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support – including at the Northumberland Coast Mighty Hike last month, in which 12 family and friends took part, raising more than £6,000.
The whole event itself generatingmore than £675,000 for the national cancer charity.
Lynne initially signed up with 14 family and friends to Northumberland Coast Mighty Hike 2021 on the hottest day of the year yet but unfortunately two people dropped out because they had to self-isolate.
Lynne said: “What a team! Absolutely love these people; for my sister, me and my mam’ s friend, who is in her 70s, this was our third Mighty Hike after completing Hadrian’s Wall in 2017 and the Lake District in 2019.
"Pete, my husband, has done five Great North Runs and my daughter has completed three Junior G eat North Runs .”
Betty married childhood sweetheart Bill Burnett at Peterlee Memorial Methodist Church on March 11, 1967, and they raised daughters Lynne and Carole in Peterlee.
Since Betty’s passing in 2010, Lynne has risen to a very senior level in her career of learning and development and in 2019 joined Macmillan, which was a long-held career aspiration of hers.
Lynne said: "The care and attention from Macmillan Cancer Support for Betty and all of the family has been outstanding from her diagnosis with pancreatic cancer three years before she sadly died on 10th July 2010. Partly because of this experience I always wanted to work for Macmillan. One of my mam’ s Macmillan carers is still in contact now.
"To raise much-needed income so that Macmillan can continue to do whatever it takes, with heart, with strength and with ambition. Next we’re planning to do a sky dive so watch this space.”
To contribute to the Betty Burnett Tribute total visit: https://tributefunds.macmillan.org.uk/In-Memory/BettyBurnett
Anyone in need of cancer support can call the Macmillan Support Line on 0808 808 0000, which is open seven days a week ,8 am -8 pm, or visit Macmillan’ s Online Community.