His story

A Sunday in late October 2015 like no other Sunday. We'd found out a few days earlier that there was nothing more medically that could be done for Amanda, and we'd put out an invitation to Amanda's many friends to join her at her favourite church  for reflection. Not knowing how many would turn up, we were amazed that upwards of 40 people had put aside their usual Sunday plans to join us in quiet, tearful reflection. People had shelved plans to travel far and wide, and in some cases, putting off trips away with their own family and friends (you know who you are).

These same people visited church with Amanda time and time again over the next few weeks, and the special "pre-funeral funeral" and additional fundraising in January 2016 at Caverswall Cricket Club presented further evidence that the love for Amanda by many people, including scores who had never met her, only goes to show the number of lives that she has touched.

Amanda has never lost her faith at all during the whole period with coming to terms with cancer. Memories come to mind, such as the owner of a local Middle Eastern restaurant presenting her with blessed water that he had returned with from the Zanzam Well in Saudi Arabia during a recent pilgrimage.

While 2016 has dealt its fair share of devastating personal news, Amanda's miraculous change of circumstances, attributable to many many factors, provides us all with many reasons to look forward to times ahead and treasure every moment the precious gift life gives us.