Teaching assistant abseils to support hospice

Sarah Spencer and her team of supporters raised more than £3,000 for charity

A woman with stage four bowel cancer has raised more than £3,000 through a charity abseil.

Teaching assistant Sarah Spencer, 48, from Derry Hill, Wiltshire, descended from Chippenham Fire Station's drill tower in support of Dorothy House Hospice Care.

Ms Spencer, who works at Monkton Park Primary School, was joined by her 16-year-old daughter Amy and nine other supporters, including a number of her colleagues.

"I was very nervous, but once I stepped over the edge there was so much to think about it just happened," she said.

"There were friends I hadn't seen for years, ex-colleagues I hadn't seen for years, I was quite overwhelmed by it all."

Raising awareness

As well as raising money, Ms Spencer also set out raise awareness of bowel cancer after being told by a GP she was "too young" to have the condition when she was diagnosed aged 46.

Her symptoms, which she described as "gurgling sounds" followed by lower abdominal pain "like labour pains" and vomiting first appeared in July 2022.

A colonoscopy found the cancer and she was also diagnosed with the rare BRAF mutation - the variation that affected BBC presenter George Alagiah and Dame Deborah James.

Ms Spencer underwent emergency surgery five days before Christmas 2022 to prevent the tumour from blocking her bowel.

'Try to help each other'

She said the Bowel Cancer UK Facebook group had been a major source of support.

"I've found friends through there and we've got some advocates in the group who are very knowledgeable. We all share experiences and try to help each other," she said.

Steve Rafferty, headteacher at Monkton Park Primary School said: “There were a few nerves abseiling down the 14m tower but we're so proud to have supported Sarah.”

Mrs Spencer said she wanted to support Dorothy House because three friends had been given end-of-life care there.

"It's just one of those places that's so supportive and understanding," she added.