A Celebration of the life of Kathy Beattie, Co-Founder of EGFR Positive UK by Angela Terry
On the 25th September 2021 it was my privilege to visit the preparations for an evening of celebration for Kathy who founded EGFR Positive UK with Jenny Abbott.
Kathy, who died earlier this year, wanted a party to celebrate her life and her family created just that. There was live music, comedy acts, a DJ, an auction, and a raffle, all in a venue with the best dance floor ever!
Jenny and Kathy first met in February 2019 and from this initial meeting, as well as becoming firm friends, began the work of making sure that EGFR lung cancer patients had both support and a voice in the arenas where decisions which would affect them were made. Kathy was passionate about helping others who found themselves in the same position as her.
She was also tireless and enthusiastic, and above all used her people skills to ensure that everyone who joined the group was welcomed personally and supported. She would offer to speak to people one to one and was always the first person to check in with someone who had had bad news or was feeling low. She advocated for lung cancer patients beyond the group too, working with the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation, and gave talks to medical students and the pharmaceutical industry on the reality of living with lung cancer. Kathy was a straight talking Brummie with an amazing sense of humour and it is not an exaggeration to say that everyone loved her. All this whilst dealing with her own health issues.
In 2020, the group became a registered charity and now has over two hundred and fifty members who find support on our Facebook group, a website which offers information and support to many more, and a seat on many of the leading lung cancer committees and organisations in the UK.
It is testimony to Kathy that we have been able to achieve so much but at the heart of what we do is what mattered most to her – we offer encouragement and support to people who are having a tough time, who need to feel that there are others out there who understand what they are going through. It is that kind of empathy which was Kathy’s unique gift.
We are deeply grateful to Kathy’s husband Richard, her brother John and all her family and friends who, as well as having probably the best celebratory party ever, raised nearly £12,000 for EGFR Positive UK. Kathy would have been thrilled.