A former Shrewsbury student and mother-of-two who has just six months left to live is urging people to support a sponsored walk up Mount Snowdon in aid of her chosen charities.
Vikki Purslow, 27, who attended Shrewsbury College of Arts and Technology from 2000-04 to study graphic design and communication, has been diagnosed with terminal cancer in the liver, neck, chest and digestive system.
Friends and family have rallied round, and in just two weeks an amazing £4,000 has been pledged with around 100 supporters signing up to do the walk.
Vikki with Amelie and baby Cleo
Shrewsbury-born Vikki, a past pupil of Crowmoor Primary School in Monkmoor, has expressed her wish to spend as much time as possible with husband Matthew, 25, and daughters Amelie, five, and eight-month-old Cleo.
Now her old school friend Richard Lunt is organising a walk up Mount Snowdon on July 31 to raise as much money as possible for Nightingale House Hospice and The Willow Foundation – who have helped the family and who will continue to do so in the coming months.
More than 100 walkers have signed up to date and Mr Lunt said he had been inspired to organise the walk on hearing Vikki’s diagnosis.
Vikki’s grandfather Dave Jones said: “We want as much support locally as possible. Vikki is a brilliant person, she sets out to do things and does them and she’s so brave over this it’s amazing. She really is a devoted mother.”
“We are all taking it as a family day by day,” he added.
Vikki married Matthew at the beginning of last month after bringing forward the ceremony. Just a week later she found out her rare form of cancer was terminal.
She now lives in Coedpoeth, Wrexham, but has family still living in Shrewsbury.
She first became unwell in February after suffering chest pains while trampolining with Amelie and currently has chemotherapy once a fortnight.
Matthew told the Chronicle he had set up a group on social networking site Facebook so people can leave stories and happy memories of his wife.
“Vikki is everything I could have wished for in a wife,” he said.
“She is my best friend and a super mum to our girls. She is brilliant and I love her so much. I can’t find the words to describe how I’m feeling and how Vikki makes me feel but I can say I love her millions and I am very proud of her. She is so brave and so beautiful, she is a star.”
To get involved visit www.justgiving.com/VPSnowdon or search for Vikki Purslow (MY VERY BRAVE AND BEAUTIFUL WIFE) on Facebook.
By Charlotte Hester
