Loving mother from Weymouth completes cancer fight book as daughter's last wish (From Dorset Echo)

Loving mother from Weymouth completes cancer fight book as daughter's last wish

12:00pm Wednesday 20th February 2013 in News By Martin Lea

A MOTHER has fulfilled her teenage daughter’s last wish by completing a book about her cancer fight.

Rosemary Locock from Weymouth is preparing to publish an emotional account of her daughter Karina Glynn’s 20-month battle with the disease and how the family struggled to come to terms with her death.

As well as acting as a form of therapy to help with her own grieving, Mrs Locock says it may assist other families going through a similar experience.

Profits from the sale of the book, simply titled ‘Karina’, will go to the hospital wards in Dorchester and Southampton where the Wey Valley School student was treated before her death at just 17.

Mrs Locock is raising money to help with publishing costs and plans a book launch on June 1, the 10th anniversary of Karina’s death.

Completion of the book is one of three promises kept by Mrs Locock to her daughter, who was diagnosed with a rare bone cancer when she was 15.

She said: “Karina wanted me to run the London Marathon, which I did three times.

“She wanted red roses on her grave which I decided against because I feared the deer would eat the flowers at the churchyard so I got a rose named after her, which was sold for charity.

“Thirdly, she wanted me to complete a book she had started to write. She got the idea after seeing books at the Piam Brown ward in Southampton Hospital which were written about children with cancer.”

Because the grief was too near, it took Mrs Locock several years before she could start writing. But one day at the end of 2008 she sat down and began pouring her heart out. She acquired Karina’s medical notes to help her fill in gaps. Mrs Locock, 54, who works for Dorset Fire and Rescue Service as an education officer and has two other children, said: “It took me a while to get my head around writing a book. My counsellor at Weldmar, who had written some children’s books, encouraged me to put ideas on paper.”

She added: “It was very emotional, especially when I thought about all the anguish, from the initial treatments to when she went into remission, and then when the tumour came back with a vengeance.

“I found it therapeutic at times to write but sometimes I would burst into tears. Some aspects are, and always will be, difficult to deal with.”

Mrs Locock said she has received interest in her book, which will contain photographs as well as her moving account and recollections from family and friends.

She said: “I think how proud Karina would be of me for writing this, and I am also proud of myself for getting this far.”

Author needs help raising funds

ROSEMARY Locock is raising funds herself to get her book published and is looking to the community for support with the venture.

She has been given a price of £800 for 100 copies, but ideally would like to raise more as she anticipates some interest.

A number of fundraising events are being organised, the first of which is a car washing day at Hamworthy Fire Station on March 23, of which the proceeds will be split with the Fire Fighters Charity.

To support Mrs Locock’s fundraising efforts call her on 07789 505609 or email rosemary.locock@vodafoneemail .co.uk