Courtney always looked up to her big sister, Jade. She viewed her as a second mother; someone who was always there for her when she needed her. Now she's on a mission to start new cancer cures in her memory.
I used to call Jade my ‘mini mum’, we were so close and she always looked out for me. She meant everything to us.
In March 2023, Jade was diagnosed with cervical cancer, and Courtney found herself getting into running, using it as a way to channel her worries and grief.
When Jade passed away following a short but courageous nine‑month battle, it devastated her family, especially her baby daughter Noor, whom she left behind. But Courtney's love for running and her eagerness to help others impacted by cancer drove her to action, and she signed up to run the London Marathon for Worldwide Cancer Research in Jade’s honour.
Courtney's story
Losing Jade left all of us absolutely heartbroken. Grief is a complex thing – sometimes I would be sad, sometimes numb, sometimes really angry about what had happened. I found running really helped, both during Jade’s treatment and after her passing. It meant I was focusing on something.
Jade was so proud of me. I was able to tell her I was going to run the marathon to raise money for Worldwide Cancer Research. The work the charity does means so much to us as a family.
I really believe in the ethos of having no borders when it comes to research. Jade lived in the Netherlands with her husband Cornelis for a while, and had some treatment there too. It gave her more time to spend with us all. Supporting a charity that funds research all over the world was so important to me.
Before Jade passed away, she gave me a necklace with two hearts on it, symbolising me and her, so she will be with me when I cross the finish line.
Little Noor was only 14 months old when Jade passed away – but she knows her mum well through stories shared by the family every day. She will see pictures of her and say ‘Mama’. Jade is a huge part of her life and always will be. She is also Jade’s double; she looks exactly like her. We are all so proud of her and we know that Jade is still with us every day.
I hope Jade’s story will serve as a reminder for others to make sure they get their smear test. The sooner things are spotted, the better your treatment options will be. The HPV jab is helping so many people, but Jade never got the opportunity to have it as she was older when the roll-out started.
My hope is that we continue to find new treatments and potential cures so that nobody else feels the loss our family has felt. I don’t want anyone else to lose their Jade.
We need new cures to save the lives of those we love
Your support will provide hope to families like Jade's, that others will not have to suffer the same loss in future.
