'My beautiful wife was a force of nature and so I'm taking on a challenge to keep her legacy alive'
Karen became a passionate campaigner and advocate after she was diagnosed with secondary breast cancer, raising tens of thousands of pounds for charity to improve support
The husband of a Midlothian woman described as a “force of nature” has spoken of his determination to keep her legacy alive five years after she died of secondary breast cancer.
Karen Henderson, from Eskbank near Dalkeith, was a busy, fit and healthy mum with a high-powered job when she was first diagnosed with an aggressive form of the disease in 2016.
At the time, the news came as a huge shock to Karen and her loved ones. The mum was always out walking, exercising at the gym and had received regular medical checks through her job at HSBC.
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“She was beautiful, intelligent and had a zest for life,” said her husband Alistair, who first met Karen in 2010. “She liked going on holiday and seeing family and friends. She had such a warm personality.
“It went from everything being happy and life carrying on as normal, to a pretty serious position very quickly.”
After six months of chemotherapy and surgery, Karen was given the all-clear, a milestone which she celebrated with friends and family at a local pub.
But the cancer returned after a few months, and again after that - at which point the doctors found out the cancer had spread and diagnosed Karen with secondary breast cancer.
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“That’s when it moved from a curable situation to being incurable but treatable,” said Alistair, 63. “Secondary breast cancer is a devastating blow, because you realise your life expectancy is going to be shortened.
“I guess we were quite naïve, we felt Karen would just keep going on. But by Christmas of 2020, the writing was pretty much on the wall.
“It was only really after going through it all that I realised how brave she had been. She had so many surgeries, chemotherapy appointments and visits to the hospital.
“To contend with all that and keep that sunny disposition that she had throughout was quite remarkable.
“She was the type of person that wasn’t going to lie down to this. She was going to fight it at every turn, and fight for the other people who found themselves in her position too.”
After her diagnosis, Karen became involved with the charity Make 2nds Count, which was set up by Edinburgh resident Lisa Fleming who was diagnosed with incurable secondary breast cancer in 2017.
The charity supports people affected by secondary breast cancer through practical advice, support groups and wellbeing activities, and campaigns for more funding for research into the disease.
Karen raised a total of £35,000 for the charity while receiving treatment, organising sold-out fundraising events including a Mamma Mia-themed evening and "Karen's Big Ball”.
“It was in her nature to want to do things for others,” said Alistair. “That was just Karen”.
“I think it gave her purpose. Although it was evident that her story might not have a successful outcome, she felt it incumbent upon herself to try and make a difference so that other people wouldn’t be in the same position as her, and have a better experience.”
“People realised the effort she was making and wanted to be part of the fundraising efforts. That was all down to her positive and warm approach.”
After Karen died in February 2021, at the age of 48, the charity approached the family and helped set up the Karen Henderson Legacy Fund in her memory.
Through various fundraising challenges every year, the fund has raised over £80,000 to improve the lives of secondary breast cancer patients across the UK.
This year, Alistair is taking on a 38.1-mile cycle as Chris Hoy's Tour de 4 with his 19-year-old stepson Tristan.
“I was looking for a highlight event to do and Chris Hoy’s story is so inspirational,” he said.
“Inspirational was something lots of people described Karen as, and when I heard some of the things Chris Hoy was saying, it really resonated with me in terms of Karen’s journey.
“Karen was a great one for keeping fit, and therefore doing something active was a good fit.”
Alistair, who said he is “not a cyclist”, said the event felt like a real challenge.
“I’m not someone who is out and about in my lycra. You’ll usually see me cycling around Eskbank in my normal clothes.
“One of my friends saw me out and said I looked like a character from a Miss Marple programme, a Penny Farthing type.
“So I started from a low bar, but I’ve been doing extra strength work in the gym and since May have been getting some miles under my belt.”
He started training with Tristan, who is also fundraising for the September event, but said his stepson was too fast for him.
“He’s got a few years on me. He’s got all the lycra and looks the real deal,” he said.
Sam Dixon, chief executive of Make 2nds Count, said: "A secondary breast cancer diagnosis, and the reality of ongoing treatment, can have a huge impact on both physical and emotional wellbeing.
“We are incredibly grateful to the Karen Henderson Legacy Fund for helping us continue to provide our Wellbeing Programme, giving people in our community access to the support they need.
“We wish Alistair, Tristan - and everyone taking part in the Tour de 4 for Make 2nds Count - the very best of luck with the rest of their training and the challenge ahead."