Wigan cancer survivor takes on challenges to support hospice in memory of her friend

Emily Makin, 31, from Pemberton, is raising money in memory of Rebecca Caunce, who was 26 when she died in 2020 at Wigan and Leigh Hospice.

They met in 2018 while having treatment at Wigan cancer care unit.

Emily, who has two sons, said: “It’s difficult to find people who know how you are feeling, but there was a group of six of us who would message each other on WhatsApp about our pain and how we were feeling. Becca was there for me emotionally and mentally and I hope I was there for her too.

“I didn’t know her for very long really – only two years – but we were proper friends because we understood each other and she means a lot to me. She was a nice person and I don’t think you find that type of person very often.

“We were thrown into this horrible situation and then to find friends and positivity out of it is fantastic. I miss Rebecca so much. I would pick up the phone and panic because I’ve got a headache and thought the cancer had returned; she would talk to me and she’d understand.”

Emily was 27 when she got her diagnosis and Rebecca was 24.

She had a mastectomy three days before her 28th birthday and had chemotherapy and radiotherapy. In July this year she will be four years clear of cancer.

In October 2018 Rebecca, who grew up in Platt Bridge, was diagnosed. She had chemotherapy, a mastectomy, radiotherapy and then was given the all clear. However, in May 2020 she began feeling sickly and dizzy. A few months later it was found the cancer had returned as a secondary cancer in her brain.

She went into the hospice on October 3, 2020 and died there 10 days later.

Emily said: “I speak to Becca’s mum Joanne quite often to see how she is and asked her if it would be okay if I did something in memory of Becca.

“Joanne has told me how amazing everyone at the hospice was to the family. Covid made Becca’s situation worse but Joanne said the staff did so much for her and Jordan – Becca’s fiancé - so they could be there with Becca and that’s massive. The family were always at the forefront of their minds.

“A job like that isn’t done by people who want to pay the bills; they’ve got a lot of heart to do a job like that and I want to make sure I can get the hospice some funds to keep doing that.”

To raise money for the hospice, Emily is going to do a sprint triathlon on June 11 in Leeds and a sky dive, organised by the hospice, on June 18.

The other women from Emily and Rebecca’s friendship group are all in recovery.

Joanne let the hospice tell Rebecca’s story as part of an urgent care appeal to support the hospice’s fund-raising efforts, which has raised more than £71,000.

Support Emily’s fund-raising here

Anyone interested in taking part in the hospice’s sky dives can sign up at wlh.org.uk or by emailing [email protected]

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