A mum who had to have her tongue removed due to mouth cancer has thanked a Lanarkshire woman for raising more than £1700 for the charity that supported her.
Jenny Stark was given the devastating news last December, four weeks after giving birth to her second child, Isla, and underwent three operations before requiring a full glossectomy in March.
The procedure has had a profound impact on her ability to eat and speak and she is currently undergoing radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
Hearing of Jenny's story, Stonehouse woman Jillian Storrie decided to organise a sponsored walk for Maggie's Centre, a charity that continues to support the mum-of-two and her family.
That saw Jenny's husband, Ally Stark, join a group of 18 colleagues – mostly ministry candidates and probationer ministers – to walk across the Forth Road Bridge and back on Saturday in aid of Maggie's Dundee.
Jillian, a trainee minister who is due to start her ministry probation at St John's Parish Church in Hamilton, said she is delighted that the sponsored walk has raised so much money thus far.
And thanking her for her efforts, Ally, who is also a trainee minister, said: "News of Jenny's diagnosis, especially so soon after Isla's arrival, came as a real shock to us.
"Initially, I was worried about being able to continue in the immediate term on my calling to ordained ministry.
"We have, however, since experienced the most incredible groundswell of love and support, and from every direction."
Ally said he and his wife were "blown away" by the efforts of his colleagues to raise so much money for Maggie's Dundee.
"It's so affirming to be sharing the road to ministry with such wonderful people and we're just so humbled and in awe of their kindness," he added.
"The amazing sum of money that they have raised will go towards supporting other individuals and their families through their own difficult journeys.
"I know just how valuable that will be, as the centre was such a support for us, especially in their provision of resources for talking to young children about cancer and hospital stays.
"The maxillofacial team at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee—and the NHS as a whole—have been simply amazing."
Ally explained how Jenny has been given an iPad to help her communicate but revealed that she hasn't needed to use it yet because her speech is "remarkable" considering what she's been through.
He added that she is currently just over a week away from finishing chemotherapy and radiotherapy and "continues to amaze" the doctors and everyone she meets.
Kind-hearted Jillian set up a Just Giving page to help out the family.
"Ally is part of my ministry training network group and while prayer support is wonderful, I wanted to do something practical to help the family," she explained.
"It was a perfect day, the weather was fantastic, and people loved getting together for a chat after not seeing each other for two years due to COVID-19 and supporting a great cause."
The group started at the South Queensferry end of the road bridge and walked back before having lunch in South Queensferry Parish Church Hall.
Jillian said she could relate to Ally's dilemma over whether he should continue with his studies and ambition to become a minister after her 65-year-old husband was given a life-changing diagnosis.
She added: "Just before I was about to start my first placement Bill came off his bike on a cycle path while we were in Oban in July 2020 and is now an in-complete tetraplegic.
"He spent five months in the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital National Spinal Unit in Glasgow and has a spinal cord injury similar to the Superman actor, Christopher Reeves.
"I started my training as a mum to three grown up children and in the space of a day, I turned into a fulltime carer.
"So Ally and I can relate to life-changing events that happen."
The fundraising page to support Jenny remains active and you can donate here.
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