Julie
Gabi:
“My step-sister Julie – to whom I was incredibly close – died from cancer when I was only 20 years old.
For 17 years I’ve debated doing this walk, but the time is now and I’ve signed up to take on the Full Moon (26.2 miles) at The MoonWalk London in 2026, in memory of someone very special, who still inspires me and drives me every day, even though she isn’t physically by my side.
I remember Julie so vividly as always being the biggest vibe in the room – she had a massive personality and so much love for everyone. There wasn’t a single person who had a bad word to say about her, other than she always spoke her mind (which I loved). Her work ethic was unreal. She never stopped driving to provide for her family.
There was a big age difference between us – 15 years. When I was young, I used to spend two weeks of the summer holiday in Devon, with Julie and her family – we had so many fun adventures during that time and my bond with her was really strong. She was one of those people who truly loved life and just got on with things. Our personalities were very similar and that’s what drew us so close.
When she was 33, Julie found a lump in her breast.
Being Julie, she pushed her doctors to get it checked out – not everyone feels able to be that persistent and even nowadays you often have to fight your corner for tests, or you might potentially be silenced.
It was a huge shock when Julie was diagnosed with breast cancer. Unfortunately, a few years later, the cancer spread. She sensed that her time was limited and that her body had endured as much as it could. I was in my second year at university at the time – I spent a lot of time with her throughout that period when she was so ill and we became even closer.
Julie was just 36 years old when she died – just a year younger than I am now.
Even though she isn’t here in person, she still guides me – when I have tricky times in my life, I think ‘what would Julie do’? She helps me re-centre, because I remember just how strong, determined and passionate she was.
She also drives me to do things which potentially feel very uncomfortable – like signing up for the Full Moon (26.2 miles) at The MoonWalk London. I know that her strength and her voice will be there with me on the night. I can hear her telling me that I’m mad to take on a marathon for the first time, but on the other hand she’s reassuring me that I’m going to smash it!
Julie’s wedding – I’m standing at the back, top right
By taking on The MoonWalk in Julie’s memory, I’ll be digging deeper and harder than I’ve ever done – but that’s exactly what happens when you’re diagnosed with cancer. I think everyone should do The MoonWalk at least once!
As well as walking in Julie’s memory, I want to raise awareness about the importance of checking your body regularly for lumps and bumps and to then do something about it. It’s so easy to get caught up with life and put it off and to not look after ourselves.
At the moment, I’m signed up to walk on my own – but I know that I won’t be alone. There will be so many people around me who have lost those close to them or who have maybe just had a diagnosis of cancer themselves. I always joke that when my parents taught me not to make friends with strangers, the lesson was totally lost on me. I will talk to absolutely anyone!
If you’re thinking about signing up for The MoonWalk in 2026, I would say just do it. Don’t think about what could be, what might be, what might hurt, or if you might struggle, just sign up! You never know – it might spark something new in you and it’ll help you achieve something you never thought you could.
Events like The MoonWalk prove how strong humans are and how resilient they can be.
Just like people with cancer. My six-year-old daughter has already told me that she’s very proud of her mum and asked if she could help raise money. I can’t change what happened to Julie, but I know that even in death, good things can happen.”
Thank you for sharing your story Gabi.
We look forward to seeing you at The MoonWalk London 2026!