PUPILS are to take on a fundraising walk in memory of a mother who died months after being diagnosed with a brain tumour.
Wallingford School youngsters will raise cash for The Brain Tumour Charity following the death of Gail Castle, 43, last December.
The mother-of-two was diagnosed last October and given between a year and five years to live.
Wednesday’s event is the school’s third annual charity walk, which last year raised cash for The Brain Tumour Charity.
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Her son Harry, 18, a student at the school, said he was inspired to organise the walk after taking part in previous years.
The nine-mile walk will start and finish at the school via the Wittenham Clumps beauty spot near Didcot and include 1,200 pupils.
He said: “After what my family had gone through I wanted to do anything I could to stop it happening to anyone else.
“I am looking forward to being part of it and trying to raise some money for the charity as well as having a day in memory of my mum.”
The sixth-former created a video featuring people who knew his mum paying tribute to her to let people know about the 9am walk.
He said: “When she was diagnosed with the disease we were told we would have at least a year and maybe up to five years.
“It all changed quite quickly over two and a half months.
“She was always a caring person and she always cared about me and my sister Jemma.”
Mrs Castle, a nurse at Didcot Community Hospital, was also mum to City Of Oxford College student Jemma, 16 and married to husband Nick, 46.
Her son said: “She always wanted us to do the best we could and she would do everything she could to help us.
“It was in her nature and in her job, caring was her life.
“She was a big part of the rugby club and she helped out at the Corn Exchange. She helped out with lots in the town.”
Two years ago the school organised its first walk to support bone cancer charities after former pupil Alex Lewis, 18, died from the disease in February 2011.
Last year walkers raised funds for chronic fatigue syndrome, also known as ME, to support a member of staff whose relative suffered from the condition.
Headmaster Wyll Willis said: “When Gail was ill it became very personal, it felt awful.
“It was an awful feeling to hear of her death, it left a bit of a hole in the whole community.
“We want the kids to reflect on the issues that the family are going through.”
To donate visit mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/wallingfordschool
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