Woman to lead cancer charity walk in fiancé's memory

Mr Ashby died three weeks after he was diagnosed with cancer and while Ms Chetwyn was being treated for the disease

A woman whose partner died from cancer while she was being treated for the disease is to lead a charity walk in his honour.

Stacey Chetwyn, from Syston, Leicestershire, found out she had cancer in her pelvis just days after her fiancé Stuart Ashby, 47, was told he had cancer in his oesophagus.

Dad-of- two Mr Ashby died in October last year, three weeks after he was diagnosed.

Miss Chetwyn, 39, will be among hundreds of people taking part in the Leicester Shine Night Walk on 19 October - the anniversary of Mr Ashby's death.

Stacey said she still had good days and bad days as her treatment continued

The 10km (6.2 mile) event will raise money for Cancer Research UK.

Miss Chetwyn, who is still being treated for cancer, will sound the horn to start the walk around the city, said she was determined to complete the challenge.

She was first diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2020 after a routine smear test and overcame the disease before it returned in April 2021.

That was when Mr Ashby was diagnosed.

“It was all a whirlwind, and we didn’t have time to accept what was happening to us,” said Miss Chetwyn.

“I was in one hospital and Stu was in another, so his sister had to look after the kids.”

'Heartbreaking story'

She added: "I was just broken.

“My world shattered, and I couldn’t pick myself up at all.

"It’s taken an immense amount of strength, and I still have good days and bad days."

She said she wanted to do the walk to raise both money to help fund research into cancer treatments and to raise awareness of the importance of women getting smear tests.

More than £26,000 was donated to support the family while the couple were treated.

The walk will follow a course through the city, and participants will illuminate themselves.

People donated more than £26,000 to support the family while they were being treated to help with the costs of looking after Mr Ashby's children.

Paula Young, from Cancer Research UK, said: “We’d like to thank Stacey from the bottom of our hearts for her ongoing support after all she’s been through."