Sheffield businesswoman to embark on month-long charity challenge in memory of mum

But the managing director won’t be alone when she sets off on her 125k challenge on February 1, for as well as partner Lee, children Maddie and Rudi and other members of her family, she will also be joined by colleagues from city estate agency Spencers and friends both at home and around the world.

That includes people from as far afield as Edinburgh, Perth, Dubai and Monaco, with each walking or running the same distance to raise money for Sheffield’s St Luke’s Hospice which provided invaluable care to Anne before her death on December 27, aged 71.

And, although the month-long challenge is yet to begin, the international circle of friends have already raised an astonishing £6,225.

Nicola said: “Mum had cancer last year and went through all her chemotherapy and came out the other side. They’d actually said she was completely cancer free from about April and all her scans up to October were clear.

"From going into a panic when she was first diagnosed in December 2019 she came out the other side and we were all elated. But, at the end of November she started with a cough so she went to her GP – there was a slight delay as she had to have Covid tests before – but they thought she had a chest infection and gave her some antibiotics.”

Unfortunately, Anne’s symptoms continued and after visiting her consultant she was told she had Stage 4 non-Hodgkin lymphoma, at which point it was considered terminal.

Nicola added: “She was absolutely adamant she was not going to die at the Hallamshire Hospital and was desperate to get to St Luke’s Hospice, which she did and died within 24 hours of being there.

"St Luke’s was always close to her heart, mum actually did some charity work there, and we know too many people that have ended their days in their wonderful care.”

The 125k challenge is poignant as represents the distance from Anne’s house to Old Trafford, the home of Manchester United, where she loved to go with her husband Jim Spencer, to whom she was married for 50 years.

To donate visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/spencers125km.

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