The widower of a mum-of-three who died from ovarian cancer at the age of 52 is urging businesses to sponsor a charity event inspired by her love of butterflies.

Bob Fell, of Christchurch, lost his wife Claire to cancer in 2018.

Mum to Liam, Jake and Tom, she had undergone three rounds of chemotherapy and was about to start her fourth when she lost her fight with the disease.

Claire, a former bank worker at Lloyds in Christchurch and dinner lady at Priory C of E Primary School, spent her final days under the care of the Macmillan Unit hospice in the grounds of Christchurch Hospital.

Before being diagnosed she had been a supporter of the charity which helps to fund the unit, regularly baking cakes for its coffee mornings.

Bob said: “Claire fought cancer so hard and held on to hope throughout.

“But the day we were told she needed palliative care life just stood still for us.

“Our youngest son was only 15, I’m an electrician and like many mums, Claire was the one who made everything just ‘happen’.

“Even when she was in the unit she was worried about the kids being fed and if the dog was being walked.

“Meanwhile, the care she received was unparalleled and we were all so grateful for that.”

Claire’s friend, Geraldine Staples, is PA to the Trust Secretary of Macmillan Caring Locally.

Following Claire’s death she and Claire’s friend, Jo, came up with the idea for a name for the charity’s new fundraising Ball.

Geraldine said: “We thought of Claire, her passion for dancing and having fun and the things she loved, one of which was butterflies.

“From there we came up with the Flutterby Ball.”

Bob said: “When the boys and I learned that Claire had helped inspire the name for the Ball we were touched.

“I know she would have loved it.

“I went to the first Flutterby Ball and, although it was extremely hard emotionally, it was a fantastic night attended by many people.

“Claire would have been thrilled to know she had a part in it.

“She was the life and soul of any party and would have been the first on the dancefloor and the last to leave it.”

The third Flutterby Ball will take place on Friday October 7 at the Hilton Bournemouth.

It will raise funds for Macmillan Caring Locally’s ongoing Brick by Brick appeal, to build a modern hospice to replace the now outdated building.

Bob said: “I am still a supporter of Macmillan Caring Locally and I know that, like many small charities, they have suffered through Covid because of not being able to hold events.

“Finding sponsorship for the Ball is obviously proving harder than ever.

“It would be wonderful to know that anyone reading about Claire might be inspired to help out in some way, knowing their backing will help the unit in supporting other families like ours.”

Sponsorship packages ranging from £200 are now available.

For more information, please email Lin Sharp at: [email protected] or call 01202 477628.

• The Macmillan Unit provides specialist palliative care for around 1,600 people each year and is supported by Macmillan Caring Locally. The charity is no relation to the larger Macmillan organisation.
• macmillanlocal.org