A 44-year-old mother, Laura Dawson, mistook signs of bowel cancer for perimenopause. After suffering from severe stomach pain, she was rushed to A\&E, where doctors discovered a colon blockage. A biopsy revealed stage 3 cancer. “We got one clear scan in August,” her husband Ben said, “but then in September… it had spread.”

Despite multiple chemotherapy rounds, Laura decided to stop treatment two months before her death. She chose to focus on time with family, supported by St. Christopher’s Hospice, which helped her remain home until the final days. Ben described her passing on June 29 as “peaceful” and said, “She died knowing she is loved… That is a blessing.”

Laura found deep meaning in her final weeks. “Some of the happiest days of my life have been in the last few weeks,” she said. “Cancer has forced me to acknowledge \[death]… and that has been a gift.”

Ben and Laura spoke openly with their sons, 17 and 15, throughout her illness. She left behind keepsakes like watches and personal messages. “She was always happy enough just to have a glass,” Ben said. “She wanted to share that with people.”