I'm Riding For

Dr Mary & Nurse Chrissie & Nurse Annie

This years ride will be dedicated to Dr Mary who was a pioneer in the treatment of childhood cancer, and a wonderful mentor - both personally and professionally. Sadly missed by all who knew her including the many many children her pioneering cancer treatments saved over the years. Sadly and ironically, she passed away from Leukemia 1st June 2020, soon after her long awaited and well deserved retirement. Dr Mary was a founding member of the Cancer Centre for Children which she so passionately developed over the past 50 years. Dr Mary found inspiration in the struggle of children, young people and their families staring down a seemingly relentless illness. With determination and persistence she played a central role in lifting the veil of pessimism which weighed heavily on the fledgling speciality of Paediatric Oncology, and illuminated pathways that offered a tangible future to these young people through care and research. She demonstrated an incessantly deep love of medicine, a committment to the health and happiness of children, and animals, and fought fiercely to advocate on their behalf. She would be so pleased and proud to witness the changes in cancer treatments and the survival rates of children with cancer that research has brought about over the past few years as there were no real improvements in treatments or survival rates for such a long long time. RIP Dr Mary. Nurse Chrissie & Nurse Annie were both large as life characters who the kids and staff loved alike. Both were amazing, caring, passionate nurses, colleagues, friends and very sadly both lost their battles with cancer this year. Having known how hard these 3 heroes faught to make life better for kids with cancer inspires me to try harder to be just like them. Thank you Mary, Chrissie and Annie RIP ♥️♥️♥️