Mum, 36, with stage four cancer in inspiring project with daughter, 3, to keep ‘my memory alive’
A 36-year-old mother battling stage four breast cancer has launched an inspiring project to keep her “memory alive”. Bex Hainsworth, underwent a mastectomy, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy after she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2016.
Despite the cancer spreading to various parts of her body over the years – including her spine, liver, lungs, and brain – Bex remains determined to create lasting memories for her three-year-old daughter, Chloe Mae, whom she calls her “miracle girl”. To achieve this, she’s trying to get pink rubber ducks adorned with the pink ribbon logo – the international symbol of breast cancer awareness – across the UK.
“(The project) gets us out there, it gets us to different places, it gets us making memories and it’s for the future as well for when I’m not here – to keep my memory alive,” Bex told PA news agency from her home in Holmfirth, West Yorkshire. Having bought over 5,000 rubber ducks online, she set up a Facebook group named “Cmducks” which has already attracted more than 400 members in just four months.
Those interested are invited to request a duck, which comes with a tag detailing Bex’s story and the initiative, and share a photo of where they’ve left the duck.
Hundreds of ducks have found new homes across the UK in places like Co Durham, Gateshead, and Birmingham, and have even reached international shores such as Australia, India, New Zealand, Japan, and South Korea. “We would have never dreamt it would get this big – they’re absolutely everywhere,” Bex said.
“We’ve had such beautiful comments on Facebook. We had a lovely post from someone that had been in the British Army who took pictures of him with a duck next to tanks.
“These are perfect strangers that are just willing to take ducks on adventures to make us smile – it’s just heartwarming and we’re hopefully spreading a little joy as well.”
She said her daughter “absolutely loves” being part of the project.
“We love leaving them in places and taking pictures of them and we love when we see little ones holding the ducks and smile when they’re finding them,” she said.
“We add tags to all the ducks and we laminate them with our little story and she connects all the tags to the little duckies.
“We’ve got a big ducky board of the UK map so we’ve added ducky pins to where they’ve all turned up.”
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Bex’s husband, Ashley, said the ducks have also helped to provide comfort for those who have cancer or know someone who does.
“There was a child with brain cancer that found this and another couple that were losing their father to stage four cancer, so many have found solace through this,” Ashley, who is a 37-year-old managing director at Bed Kingdom, a furniture company, told PA.
Bex added: “Cancer affects everyone really, every family knows somebody that has got it so seeing the messages come through is absolutely lovely.”
The family have also been donating to various charities through the initiative – for example, the Candlelighters Trust, which provides practical and emotional support to children fighting cancer in Yorkshire.
“We’ve also supported MacMillan and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI),” Bex said.
“We had a little 10-month old that found one that had a rare eye cancer so we donated to the Childhood Eye Cancer Trust.”
Ashely added: “I’m happy to put my hand in my pocket and make some donations as it gives some tangible benefit for people’s time for what they’re doing.”
(Image: Copyright remains with handout provider)
Pascale Harvie, president and general manager of JustGiving, said: “Chloe Mae is an amazing young girl. Like so many others, I’ve been incredibly moved by her fundraising efforts and all that she has achieved so far.
“The entire JustGiving team wish Chloe Mae the very best of luck in her fundraising mission and we cannot wait to see where her ducks turn up next!”
