I’ll never forget the first Christmas without Karen

Derek lost his wife Karen to a long fight against heart and lung problems. This Christmas Derek wants do something really special in her memory. Read Derek’s moving story about Karen and how you can help give people the gift of more time with those they love.

“Our lives changed forever when Karen became unwell”

Christmas will never be the same without my beautiful wife Karen. I lost her when she was just 50 after a long fight against heart and lung problems. As that first Christmas without her approached, I just couldn’t face the usual celebrations. I didn’t want to put the tree up, wrap presents or join in the plans with the rest of the family. That all changed when my nephew asked me what Aunty Karen would have wanted. In that moment I realised. Karen made my life better and she would want me to do the same for others. I want to do something really special in her memory this Christmas. But I need your help. Will you help give people a Christmas present they will never forget? The gift of more time with those they love. Karen will always be the love of my life. As soon as we met, that was it. I’d found the person I was meant to be with. We had the best life together. We were totally in love and lived every day to the full. If we wanted to and we could afford it we did it – always at that party, always taking our nieces and nephews to cool places, always laughing. Our lives changed forever when Karen became unwell.

“You can give the gift of extra time with their loves ones.”