In July 2022, 80 brave individuals took the plunge from one of the City’s most famous landmarks at the annual Liverpool Cathedral Abseil for Clatterbridge Cancer Charity. For brave Mum of two, Claire Beever, 45, from Runcorn, the Abseil wasn't the scariest thing she’s ever had to face.
“Going home and telling my parents was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, but I was determined this wasn’t going to beat me. My children were 7 and 9 at the time, and the week after my diagnosis it was my daughter’s 10th birthday. I was determined to keep things as normal as possible, and we had a fantastic lockdown birthday party for her.
I was told I would lose my hair virtually straight away; this was something I couldn’t cope with along with everything else. I asked my husband to shave my head and whilst this was awful for both of us, it was my way of taking control over something throughout this whole nightmare. I would decide when I would lose my hair, not cancer.”
Claire was also told her cancer was HER2 positive, meaning she would have to be treated with chemotherapy first. In November 2020, after finishing chemotherapy Claire was able to ring the bell at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre’s CANTreat clinic based in Halton.
“Whilst all this was happening right in the midst of a lockdown, I couldn’t be more proud of how my children were handling everything. They were at home due to the pandemic, so they saw most of what I was going through. I’ve had really dark days, but I have also had days where I have laughed about things with my husband, my parents and my children who have helped me to get through this.”
“It’s changed me as a person, and I’ll now do things that I may have been wary of before my diagnosis! I’ve stepped out from the sidelines and gone ice skating with my family for the first time, and now I’m preparing to abseil down Liverpool Cathedral for The Clatterbridge Cancer Charity. I’m taking part to say a huge thank you to the amazing staff at Clatterbridge, for what they did for me and for thousands of others each and every day. I hate heights, but I didn’t let cancer stop me and I’m certainly not going to let my fear of heights get the better of me either! Clatterbridge saved my life, they were like one big hug during my worst time.”
Claire helped to raise over £600 for Clatterbridge Cancer Charity, and was joined in celebration with her family. Every pound raised at the Liverpool Cathedral Abseil for Clatterbridge will help to fund life-saving research and the best care at our centres across the region and if you'd like to join Team Clatterbridge at our next Liverpool Cathedral Abseil event, please visit https://www.clatterbridgecc.nhs.uk/charity/events/Challenge-Events/liverpool-cathedral-abseil.