If my few minutes of discomfort can help make a difference, then every shiver, every freezing second and every bit of embarrassment will be worth it.
This dip is for my mum, my dad, my two uncles and my aunt. Their memory is the reason I’m taking the plunge.
I lost both of my parents to cancer, and in recent years I’ve also lost two uncles and an aunt. Each one of them was a huge part of my life, and each loss left a gap that can never truly be filled.
My mum and dad were always there through every stage of my life. They helped shape the person I am today, and not a day goes by when I don’t think about them. Losing them was incredibly difficult, and anyone who has lost a parent will understand that some losses stay with you forever.
The same is true for my uncles and aunt. They weren’t just relatives, they were part of the fabric of our family. They were the people who turned up for birthdays, celebrations, family gatherings and the ordinary moments that become precious memories. Losing them in recent years has been a painful reminder of just how many lives cancer touches.
When I look back, cancer hasn’t just taken one loved one from our family. It has taken five.
That’s five people whose stories ended too soon. Five people who are missed at family occasions. Five people whose absence is felt every time we gather together.
People often talk about grief as something you get over, or something you go through and leave behind. I’ve learned that’s not how it works. You don’t get over it and you don’t leave it behind. You simply learn to walk with it. Some days it’s light, some days it’s heavy, but it’s always there.
After my mum passed away, I wrote that loved ones only die when they are forgotten. I believe that. That’s why I carry both my parents with me every day, in my memories, in the lessons they taught me, and in the person they helped shape.
In December 2020, I also faced my own life-threatening battle. I often describe it as “Death came to take me, but I wasn’t ready to go down like that.” Thankfully, I’m still here, and that experience reminded me that tomorrow is never promised and every day is a gift.
I’m doing this in memory of my mum, my dad, my two uncles and my aunt. I’m doing it to honour them, to remember them, and to help raise funds so that other families facing cancer can receive the best possible care and support.
If my few minutes of discomfort can help make a difference, then every shiver, every freezing second and every bit of embarrassment will be worth it.
Thanks,
Iain Copeland
You can join Iain and hundreds of other men on 7th November in Skerries, County Dublin by signing up to the Dickie Dip today!