As we farewell Windsor's Hatti Sandall, our editor, Nikki Ackerley, for whom Hatti worked in Guildford, pays tribute to her...
What a month. I think I’ve been in a film: two weddings, sadly two deaths and the safe arrival of my granddaughter.
One of the deaths was my father in law, Major Hugh Pond of whom led a full life with not one but three great careers and when the regiment sounded The Last Post at his funeral, it was a fitting tribute.
For Hatti Sandall, however, I can only dream of how her life might have been. But I do know that she made an impact on everyone she met in her short life.
She came to work with us direct from Uni in August 2013 and in November requested time off to see the doctor about a ‘cyst’ on her shoulder.
There is little point in detailing the saga of events that unfolded – spindle cell sarcoma is a wicked illness – but my enduring memory of Hattie will be of her vivacious smile when she arrived at the Evening Standard Property Awards in May last year.
She arrived straight after her last radiotherapy session, full of enthusiasm and excitement having completed five weeks (without a day off) of commuting back and forth to London.
None of us had any inkling of the ordeal she was about to endure or the optimism and courage that she would find within herself at every setback.
A fundraising event was held recently at Guildford’s Boiler Room and her SmileforHatti.com campaign launched by her friends is being converted to Smile from Hatti with all future funds going to fight this cruel disease.
We all know cancer strikes indiscriminately and for those that have it – ask my mum – there is never a right age, but 24 feels so very wrong. Hatti deserved a full life and I am sure I am not alone in considering myself lucky that she squeezed me into hers.
In addition to fundraising for Sarcoma UK, Hatti also launched an appeal for people to give more blood having been a grateful recipient – to find details of the next blood donor sessions in your area visit blood.co.uk
Joy and sadness are often linked. Spring will follow winter and we can only be thankful there are seasons and another month will follow. It doesn’t mean however that we will forget.
(Nikki is pictured, left with Hatti and Food and Drink editor Catherine Whyte)
Read Nikki's blog each month in the Guildford, Farnham and Woking Magazines or at essentialsurrey.co.uk