A KING'S Somborne early years teacher who lost her mum just a month after she was diagnosed with lung cancer is calling on Southampton to put the disease in the spotlight by taking part in the Shine Night Walk this October. Mum-of-three Kelly Paddock, 36, and her daughter Lacey-May, 12, will help light up the city when they complete the 10k neon glowing, night-time walking event for Cancer Research UK on October 11, in memory of Kelly’s mum, Benita Tanner. Despite experiencing symptoms for several months, Benita was only diagnosed four weeks before she died at Christmas in 2016.
Now Kelly wants to prevent more families experiencing the same heartbreak and hopes to raise vital funds to help power progress in the fight against the disease. Kelly said: “I’ll never get over losing my mum when she was just 51 and I miss her every single day. Perhaps if she’d been diagnosed at an earlier stage, she may have had a chance of making more memories with us or beating the disease altogether.
“I’m determined to shine a light on the need for more research to diagnose cancer earlier so that more people have a chance to live longer.” Kelly understands first-hand just how important new discoveries about cancer are to unlock better ways to detect and beat the disease. She said: “My mum was the most beautiful lady inside and out and the strongest woman I’ll ever know.
She was the best mum and the best ‘Nanny Neat’ to the grandchildren who all adored her. She had a close bo.