A BLUNDESTON man has embarked on a year-long fund-raising drive – in memory of the woman he loved.
Kalvin Scott, 26, was inspired to launch his charity effort after his girlfriend Natalie Wilson lost her battle against colon cancer, dying at her mother's house at Caister just six days before her 27th birthday.
He is now preparing to run 500 miles and swim a further 50 throughout this year in aid of Palliative Care East and the new £1.5m Louise Hamilton Centre at the James Paget University Hospital, which will provide care and support to people in Waveney and Great Yarmouth who are suffering from terminal illnesses.
Kalvin, who met Natalie through an online dating site, said: 'There's a lot of good that comes from bad – it can have a silver lining. And to give something back to people is something I'd like to do.'
Natalie, who was diagnosed with stage-four colon cancer when she was 25, was hoping to attend the University of East Anglia to train to be a teacher and had dreams of one day opening a café that would also run art classes.
But, tragically, her dream never came true and now Kalvin has pledged to honour the former Flegg High School pupil's gentle, loving nature and keep her memory alive by dedicating 2013 to fund-raising in her name.
His fund has already collected more than £500 and Natalie's mum, Sharon Davies, praised his efforts.
She said: 'He was right there up to the point [she died]. He held her hand in the last moments. Kalvin made Natalie very, very safe even to face death and that blew me away.'
Natalie who grew up in Hemsby and Caister, was living in Melton Mowbray with her brother when she began to feel ill, and when she underwent her first tests it was thought she was suffering from an irritable bowel.
But as the pain continued, and after moving back to Norfolk in 2011, she was transferred to hospital to undergo scans. It was eventually a biopsy that revealed she was suffering from cancer.
Ms Davies, 51, said: 'We were all shocked. It was a very bad case that had spread to her peritoneum.
'We were just hoping she would be one of those lucky ones, that would have a miracle. You just hold on to hope – you don't think at such a young age you're not going to make it.'
While fighting her illness, Natalie joined a dating site. Initially it was for friendship, but things changed when she met Kalvin, who works as a pharmacist at the James Paget University Hospital.
Ms Davies added: 'Slowly she fell in love, which she didn't expect and neither did Kalvin, and that's the blessing.'
On their second date, Natalie made the decision to tell Kalvin about her health.
But it only brought them closer.
He said: 'It was quite a difficult decision to make. I had to think would I be strong enough to deal with that? At the end of the day I knew I liked her and I made the decision that [her cancer] shouldn't be the thing that stops me and we should enjoy whatever time we have.'
The couple dated for six months until Natalie became very ill at the beginning of December and died just a few days later.
At Natalie's funeral, Kalvin suggested his fund-raising idea to her mother and through it they have been able to channel their feelings of loss into something positive.
'It's easy to get drawn into grief, this does keep your mind focused,' Kalvin said.
?To donate, visit www.justgiving.com/Kalvin-Scott1
?You can also follow his progress at www.facebook.com/InMemoryOfNatalieWilson
?Minister visits new centre – page 32
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here