Dorset siblings organise charity walk after death of mother

Sonya and Tanya Kosinksi lost their mother Joyce in what they described a “traumatic time” for the whole family.

Joyce had been a fit and healthy, Zumba loving 74-year-old when she unexpectedly showed ‘stroke symptoms’ one day in November 2022.

After a brief hospital stay, she was sent home, but got “rapidly worse”, quickly losing the ability to walk, swallow, and see clearly.

Sonya said: “She got progressively worse. I was constantly calling up the hospital.

“Eventually, we had to call an ambulance because she was crawling, she couldn’t stand on her legs.”

It was this trip to hospital which saw doctors locate a ‘golf ball sized’ tumour on her brain.

Joyce (Image: Sonya Kosinski)

Due to its position, an operation was deemed too risky, meaning Joyce struggled to get a proper diagnosis, and any treatment was considered a ‘gamble’.

While radiotherapy did eventually clear the tumour, it soon came back - and multiplied.

Following the tragic news, Sonya moved her wedding forward to allow her mother to see her tie the knot.

Joyce, described as “selfless and loving” by her daughters, passed away on May 20, 2023.

Sonya said: “It was quite a traumatic time for us all.

“It was all a shock. A week before she had stroke symptoms, she was doing her Zumba classes.

“It all happened very quickly.”

Sonya (middle) and Tanya with their dad Vassel on a 'trial walk' (Image: Sonya Kosinksi)

Now, Sonya and Tanya are organising a special walk from Corfe Castle to Swanage on Saturday, March 23.

The siblings said Joyce, who lived in Arne, Wareham, was “extremely fond of Swanage” and “loved to be by the sea”.

Expected to be attended by other family members and those who knew Joyce best, the event will also raise funds for The Brain Tumour Charity.

It will also be part of the charity's Twilight Walk - Walk it Your Way campaign, which is encouraging people to 'take strides towards curing brain tumours'.

Sonya and Tanya have already begun their fundraising efforts with a Just Giving page.

At the time of writing, the page had gathered more than £2,400 in donations. 

The siblings also did a trial walk with their father on Monday, March 4.

Support the fundraiser here.