Walk for Sian Update

The Walk for Sian took place on the 19th September and about 80 of Sian’s friends and family took part in a 10 mile sponsored walk between Anstey and Buntingford in Hertfordshire - the area where Sian grew-up.

Sian was the same age as Ed and died in February 2020 from Clear Cell Sarcoma. One of Sian’s final wishes was that her family arrange a fund raising event to support Sarcoma research. The walk, in memory of Sian and had been brilliantly organised by her family; Alan, Sharon, Cara, Julie and Peter. All donations raised have gone into Ed’s Foundation to support Clear Cell Sarcoma research. John, Ellie and Chewie also completed the walk and enjoyed the friendship and support of the Neale family and their friends on what was an emotional and poignant day.

The Walk has to date raised over £15,000 for the Foundation and we would like to thank the kindness and generosity of all those who took part and donated.

Alan Neale, Sian’s Dad wrote these emotional words after the walk.

“What can we say….?

When Sian passed away on the 18th February 2020, it left a gaping whole in a lot of our lives, and its one that just can't be filled, repaired or patched up. I know the same is true for John and Ellie Showler. But what we can do is honour her wishes, stand strong with those so tragically afflicted with Clear Cell Sarcoma, and celebrate both Sian and Ed's too short but brilliant lives – and we most certainly did that yesterday.

We were blown away with the support and participation we had yesterday, not to mention the extraordinary generosity shown – and personally, I am amazed that we had not one cross word from any driver or cyclist that we inconvenienced (some total strangers even gave us money!), and that I was not the subject of a call to the police when spotted running up and down the B1368 with a hammer in my hand in the early hours of Sunday….

I am not a religious man, but there was something a little poetic about the fact that (completely unknown to me), we coincided with the Sunday service at St Georges (it was a 1 in 5 chance….). Sian was both married and buried there, and James Sawyer (the vicar) came out to speak to us just before we set off, and said some very kind words (he was aware of our event). Whether there is a god or not, loud prayers were said for Sian and Ed yesterday morning.

I can’t thank you all enough, we are truly humbled by your generosity of spirit.

You wont remember my little eulogy at Sian's funeral, but I signed off with this:
If there is anything to take away from this, if there is anything to quell the bitterness and rage, to calm the sense of monumental futility, it is the heart and soul and love that Sian had, and that she instilled into all of us, whether we knew it or not. If we can all be just a little more like Sian, a little more positive, a little more respectful and kind, a little more selfless, life will be just that little bit brighter – brighter for everyone….

All of you were all these things yesterday 😊”