Katie Scarbrough (née Allan), 04 March 1981 – 02 May 2013

[CaroLiza_fan]

The title pretty much says it all.

1996 British Junior Ladies Champion Katie Allan (now Scarbrough) lost her battle with bowel cancer this morning.

Here is a link to the announcement on her blog.

Skating In Heaven:
http://www.katiescarbrough.co.uk/2013/05/02/skating-in-heaven/

Katie, although your career was cut short by injury, when you were competing, you were somebody that skating fans in Northern Ireland could be proud of.

But, the way you dealt with your cancer, and used your battle to help others and to raise awareness of the disease in young people, turned you into somebody that everybody could be proud of.

I may not have known you personally, but it was a privilege to have chatted with you last week.

My thoughts obviously go out to Katie's husband, Stuart; her 2 children, Sam and Sophie; her parents, Les and Joan; and her entire family circle.

You are indeed "Skating in Heaven"

Gordon (CaroLiza_fan)

 

[ffionhanathomas]

RIP to a wonderful skater. She'll be greatly missed and is such an inspiration.

 

[Olympia]

I guess the story couldn't end in any other way, but it's still heartbreaking to read. My condolences to the family.

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

It hasn’t been put up on their website yet, but here is the story about Katie’s death in today’s Belfast Telegraph.

Photo posted by Jennie Hammond on Facebook:
https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/r90/941824_10151891232548345_450176547_n.jpg

By the way, the photo that the Tele used is one of the ones from Weston-Super-Mare that I was talking about in this post in the second Katie thread.

Well done to the Belfast Telegraph for following Katie's story so comprehensively over the past number of months. Katie was all about raising awareness of her illness, and the coverage they gave will have helped no-end!

CaroLiza_fan

 

[iluvtodd]

We knew it was inevitable, but it's still a very sad loss. My she rest in peace, and may her family find comfort in the good memories of her.

 

[Sheena]

What a brave lady.

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

For those who are in Ireland, you may be interested to know that there is a memorial service for Katie this weekend at the Church Of Ireland in her home village. Here are the details:

Sunday 16th June 2013, 14:30pm

St Dorothea's Parish Church,
2-4 Gortland Park,
Gilnahirk,
Co. Down,
BT5 7NU

I have to confess, I have known about the memorial service for just over a week. Katie’s Dad (Les Allan) had mentioned the preparations for it in a post on Facebook. However, I wasn’t sure if it was just for close friends and family, so that is why I didn’t mention it sooner.

But when I went onto the NISA website last night to try to find out about Cheryl Peake, I saw a story about Katie’s service. So, if it is being announced there, I suppose the service is open to the public.

Personally, I would have loved to go to the service and pay my respects. But, there is no way I am going anywhere near Belfast this weekend, due to the G8 Summit being in Northern Ireland this coming week. OK, so I know the G8 Summit is being held in the other side of the country to Katie’s service. But if there are going to be protests, they are more likely to be in Belfast as that is where they will cause more disruption.

It’s just unfortunate timing.


While I’m on here, I suppose I should update you on some things that have happened since Katie’s death.

Firstly, here are some links to some newspaper articles about Katie’s death that I missed at the time.

Birmingham Mail 3rd May 2013 (website story):
http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/lifestyle/health/brave-lichfield-mum-katie-scarbrough-3406729

Birmingham Mail 4th May 2013 (photo of newspaper story, as shown on Emma Hadley’s Facebook):
https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/v/912104_10151433983298553_414865354_n.jpg

The Sun 5th May 2013 (photo of newspaper story, as shown on Carole Briggs’ Facebook):
https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/941718_10151460739043789_1167101227_n.jpg

Lichfield Mercury 17th May 2013 (website story):
http://www.lichfieldmercury.co.uk/Village-mourning-ice-star-dies-32/story-19012942-detail/story.html

Katie’s funeral was held on 10th May 2013 at the pretty St Stephen’s Parish Church in Fradley, Staffordshire (look it up – it is really pretty!) After the service, the class-mates of Katie’s children released balloons.

Here is the blog entry about Katie’s funeral, as written by her husband’s brother:
http://www.katiescarbrough.co.uk/2013/05/12/a-perfect-send-off/

Order of Service for Katie’s funeral (photo of Order of Service, as shown on Carole Briggs’ Facebook):
https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/942818_10151468757083789_1509302323_n.jpg


A few days after Katie’s death, some of her colleagues at Birmingham Airport decided to pay tribute to Katie. They got a cuddly toy, which they named “Marvin The Monkey” (no need for me to say what species he is!), and started sending him to all the airports that Birmingham flies to. To chart his progress, a Facebook Fan Page was set up, which can be found at:

https://www.facebook.com/marvinmonkeyBHX

As of Thursday 13th June 2013, Marvin has clocked up over 70,000 miles!!! At the time of writing this message, he was in Houston, Texas!

As well as being a lot of fun, Marvin is being used to raise awareness of the situation Katie found herself in, and the charities she supported.


Every year Cancer Research UK organises a series of women-only sponsored walks across the country, under the banner of “Race For Life”. And there have been “Team Katie” supporters at quite a few of them!

The Belfast “Race For Life” was held on 2nd June, and a lot of Katie’s friends took part in it.

Meanwhile, the Sutton Coldfield “Race For Life” will be on 29th June. This is the nearest “Race For Life” to where Katie had been living, and the plan had been for Katie to start the race off. Alas, that will not now happen. But a lot of her friends and colleagues will be taking part, as reported in some local newspapers.

Birmingham Mail 22nd May 2013 (website story):
http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/lifestyle/health/charity-runners-pay-tribute-brave-3906013

Lichfield Mercury, 22nd May 2013 (website story):
http://www.lichfieldmercury.co.uk/Race-Life-tribute-Fradley-mum/story-19055899-detail/story.html

Lichfield Mercury, 24th May 2013 (website story):
http://www.lichfieldmercury.co.uk/V...e-Life-Katie/story-19077408-detail/story.html


Before she died, Katie nominated her chief fundraiser (and fellow skater) Kerry Greer (née Massey) for a “Unsung Hero” award at the “Spirit Of Northern Ireland” awards.

[Incidentally, this is the second time in recent years that a figure skater has been nominated for a “Spirit Of Northern Ireland” award. In 2011, Dempsey Andrews was nominated for the “Young Person’s” Award].

The “Spirit Of Northern Ireland” awards are arranged each year by the Sunday Life newspaper (which is essentially the Sunday edition of the Belfast Telegraph) and Ulster Television. Here is the remit for the category Kerry was nominated in:

Unsung Hero

This award recognises someone whose great deed or deeds have hitherto gone unnoticed.

They will have made a major contribution to your life or to your community. They really will be an ordinary person who has done an extraordinary thing

From http://www.u.tv/entertainment/Last-...ng-heros/d998d07e-a399-41a5-85c3-47861dfa5a64

Last week’s Sunday Life had a story introducing the nominees. I took some photos of the story and uploaded them to Facebook, so that you can read them. Below are the direct links to each of my photos (so that you don't need to sign in or anything).

Pages 18 and 19:
http://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc1/1006167_10152849740030538_2133373255_n.jpg

Close-up of top of Page 18 (so that you can read it!):
http://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/r90/425223_10152849743475538_428671513_n.jpg

Close-up of photo of Kerry on Page 18 (so that you can read the caption!):
http://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/r90/995835_10152849742265538_1342456994_n.jpg

Close-up of bottom of Page 19 (so that you can read it!):
http://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/3826_10152849741195538_1951504067_n.jpg

This year’s awards were held last night (14th June 2013). I don’t actually know the results of the Awards, but the story will probably be in tomorrow’s Sunday Life. So, I’ll let you know about it in a few days time (by which stage I will have hopefully heard some stories from the Memorial Service! )

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Right, it is nearly 2 months since we lost Katie. So, it is probably time to tie up the remaining loose ends in this thread.

Firstly, unfortunately Kerry did not win the “Unsung Hero” award at the “Spirit Of Northern Ireland” awards. But, she had a great night out at the ceremony with her parents, as well as Katie’s brother Chris and his wife.

Although the Sunday Life did a story about the awards night a couple of days afterwards, the main coverage was in a special supplement on 23rd June 2013. Unfortunately, I forgot to take photos of it before it was thrown out. But, apart from a photo of Kerry at the awards, the story itself was exactly the same as the story introducing the finalists a few weeks earlier.

Ulster TV did a special half-hour programme about the awards, which was broadcast on Monday (24th June 2013). As with previous links, I am not sure if the video can be viewed outside the UK and Ireland, but here it is anyway;

http://www.u.tv/utvplayer/video/152177

There is just a wee short clip of Kerry explaining why she was nominated. It was shown a few minutes into the first half of the programme, but for some reason, when I went onto the video there now, it only played the second half of the programme! So, I don’t know what’s going on!


On 20th June 2013, Dundonald Ice Skating Club held their Summer Exhibition, and Katie’s friends were invited to perform the final routine of the night. Or, at least, that’s what they thought they were only there for! Unbeknownst to them, the Dundonald club were also using the night to unveil a memorial trophy to Katie.

Here is a photo of the trophy (as shown on Bex Hunter’s Facebook):
https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/936408_670513756297547_95850881_n.jpg

Each year, the trophy will be presented by Katie’s friends to the skater that they feel deserves it.

What a fitting way to remember a skater who was a true inspiration!


As this is probably my final post about Katie, may I just say that I have found it an honour to be the person that has been reporting her story to you all. Of course, I would have preferred it if that there had been no story to report. But Katie’s situation had undoubtedly raised awareness of bowel cancer amongst young people.

Put it like this, it has made me take more notice of my own health. And I hope it has done the same for others as well.

CaroLiza_fan