Monday, April 8, 2013

We remember her...What can we do?

Today we remember Karen - who passed away a year ago today.
 
 
We remember her in the way we knew her best - comfortable in her designer shoes and packing a whole life into half the time!

Here are some of my favourite photos of her that remind me how full of life she was.  It is really hard not to miss her.
 
My daughter Lucy has her hands, so does my cousin Melissa which makes me feel like she has left part of her here with us.  Hands to hold!

 
 
After a year without her and feeling that she made it to Heaven I feel that Heaven is on the other side of an invisible curtain right in front of us.
 
 
She has appeared in people's dreams with her hair back - long and straightened, texted iphones, sent cuddles through friend's dreams and spoken through mediums.  Many people have felt her presence or had signs from her.
 
 
All the messages and feelings we have received are that she got there safely and she is watching over all of us.
 
I often wonder how she feels looking through the invisible curtain and seeing how sad we are.
 
Would she be sad?
How would she want us to go on? 
Sadly - with chocolate? 
Sulking - watching Pride and Prejudice?
Or living life to full as she did - whether she could afford to or not?

I think we all know the answer but it is not always that easy!

I find solace in action.  I need to know that there is something I can do to prevent this happening to someone else's sister.

Last year we reaised $12,700 towards breast cancer research.  Last year we did something to help the cause.

This year we are trying to help all over again - with Karen's Army Team walking the Mother's Day Classic in May. 

Please sponsor us here via this link.

https://register.eventarc.com/sponsor/view/171214



We are fundraising again to help others. 

Please join us or sponsor us - I am walking with my family and many of her friends and our friends.

A donation does not need to be grand - the cost of a hot chocolate, an expresso martini, a rum and coke, Ralph Lauren polo shirt, Kate Spade cocktail ring, Air ticket to anywhere...

So many memories but each one however small will help someone.

If you wish to join us and wear a uniform - please contact me - Lisa Lum (Karen's sister)

Thanks to everyone who is thinking of our family at this time.  We are all ok - but as Karen would say, "It is cryworthy."

 
With love and longing,
 
Lisa Lum





Monday, March 11, 2013

Karen's Army declares War on Breast Cancer!


Hi I am Lisa Lum and my sister Karen (37) died of breast cancer last year.
 
My husband Craig, my daughters Lucy and Daisy and son George are all walking the 4.5km Mother’s Day Classic, Brisbane on Mother’s Day to raise money for the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

We invite you to join Karen’s Army to walk with us, and fundraise and help us Declare War on Breast cancer!

This is the link to the Mother's Day Classic website to register to join us.

http://www.mothersdayclassic.com.au/register-online


If you can't join us and would like to support us, here is the link to sponsor us.

Karen was diagnosed just before her 35th birthday and was treated (we thought) successfully until they found a 1 inch tumour growing in her brain at the time of her 2 year check up. She received radiation treatment for the brain tumour and it was not successful. The tumour returned and the cancer infiltrated her spinal cord and brain stem. She was hospitalised for not being able to walk, within days could not feed herself and within a month she passed away not being able to speak or swallow or move. For anyone who knew Karen this was her worst nightmare. Actually it was even worse than that.
My sister was awesome. She was funny and dry witted and had literally hundreds of friends who loved her like a sister! She was the best Aunty in the world. She loved food, her dog Barney, expresso martinis, Bundy Rum, The Reds - in particular Mr Greg Holmes who came to visit her after her brain tumour operation and walked her down the aisle as her pall bearer - "We love Greg Holmes"!, her Mini Cooper, her freedom, her nieces and nephews, her family, her friends, her home, handbags, clothes and shoes, shoes, shoes!
As her family we still cannot believe she is gone and we are struggling to come to terms with losing her, trying to work out why she died, not scientifically but philosophically. Why this is this her story? What will be her legacy?
This is where we will start: Trying to raise money to stop other sisters, daughters, cousins, mothers, wives and girlfriends from being stripped of life one sense at a time.
All we can do is raise money for research, remember her and try to save others. For Karen - there is nothing we can do about the fact that she is gone.
She has never wanted this disease to define her and she has kept an amazing blog diary of her journey up until she could not longer type about 1 month before she passed away. Finding humour in my tumour expresses the inexplicable emotions that challenged her every step of her journey with breast cancer.
Karen,
Your were so brave and strong.
We hope you are at peace.
We feel your presence every day.
We are your Army and we will still fight for you.
We love you Karen and miss you every day.

Lisa Lum (Karen Pandy's big sister)
General

Karen's Army

Community Ambassador
MDC2013