Gala ball to remember Bangor mum on her 50th birthday
By Lesley Walsh
FRIENDS and family of a late Bangor woman have gathered to remember her and to raise funds for Marie Curie Hospice, which cared for her in her final days.
Christine Wilkinson would have celebrated her milestone 50th birthday tomorrow, November 7, but tragically, ovarian cancer claimed her life in April 2023, at just 48.
Last Friday, those bereaved by her loss gathered at the Culloden Hotel to hold a fundraising ball in her memory, including her two teenage sons, Ben and Kyle.
Joined by more than 140 guests, Christine’s family converged on the Stuart Suite to remember Christine, who worked in a variety of roles within the health service.
A young Christine Beare attended Ballyholme Primary School, where her well-known father Herbie worked as caretaker in his retirement. Sadly Herbie passed away in September, having been widowed in 2020 when his wife Mavis died.
Christine then headed to Glenlola Collegiate School, before progressing to Scotland where she attended Queen Margaret University in Musselburgh outside Edinburgh, graduating with a first class honours in occupational therapy.
Her qualification brought her back home where she worked within the NHS and the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) before later joining the Belfast Trust where she scaled the heights of her career, becoming co-director of Older People’s Services.
During her life Christine raised considerable funds for cancer charities, notably more than £4,000 by running the Bangor 10K not long before she became ill.
Before gathered guests on Friday night, Christine’s eldest sister Anita Stewart recalled how it had been during her stay in the hospice that the idea of a year of fundraising, culminating in a grand ball in her honour, was first mentioned.
“Christine wanted to show her thanks and appreciation for the work of the Marie Curie hospice and nurses for their kindness and care during her last months,” she said.
Throughout the months following her untimely death, family and friends have been holding events in her name and raising as much cash as possible for her Marie Curie Cherished Memory Fund page.
“From the Tour of the Sperrins, to Bangor 10k, coffee mornings, sponsored walks, craft fairs and Mourne 7 Sevens the pot has been steadily growing, along with many thoughtful donations from all those that knew, loved, and respected Christine,” said Anita.
She also welcomed the able assistance of her youngest sister’s lifelong friends, who all joined forces to ensure Friday’s ball went off without a hitch.
Guests were entertained by the beautiful voices of the Amici choir, conducted by musical director Tracy Beare, another sister of Christine’s.
Anita told guests: “Christine would have loved the glitz and glamour of this evening and would have quite possibly consumed one bottle of wine by this stage of the night.”
Representing Marie Curie, Helen Laird, spoke of the work of the charity within the local community. She shared stories from families that had benefitted from Marie Curie and the costs involved in providing their pivotal service to the many people battling cancer, as well as their families.
Special mention was made during the ball to the late Leigh Campbell, one of Christine’s lifelong friends, who unfortunately lost her battle with cancer in February this year, also at the age of 48.
Christine’s good friend and former colleague in NIAS, Michelle Lemon, was keen to fulfil Christine’s wishes to have her face on a balloon for the evening, by having Christine’s likeness represented in balloon form holding a bunch of Marie Curie daffodils.
“It was bittersweet to see everyone dancing round the balloon later in the evening,” said Anita.
A ballot on the evening gathered over £1,500 to go towards the overall fundraising total.
Anita wanted to ensure a huge thank you went out to all those who supplied prizes, including Tim and Susan McKee, The Bull and Claw, Denman, Nugelato, Nicki in the TT in Comber, Lashes by Sharon, Nails by Ashley, Lisa Thompson, Neill’s Wines, Pauline Vaughn, Cairn Bay Lodge, Windmill Guitars, Craig Bar Dog Groomers, Ballyholme Butchers, and a voucher from Mel for Tropic Skincare.
There was also a raffle for a bottle of Eimear’s Wish Gin, produced in memory of Eimear Smyth, who beat cancer but died aged 25 in 2019, due to complications from a donor stem cell transplant.
Anita also gave a heartfelt tribute to her ‘baby sister and the wonderful people she had surrounding her throughout her personal and professional life’.
Mentioning her colleagues and friends in the Belfast Trust where Christine was the co-director for Older People’s Services, Anita said: “The atmosphere in the room throughout the whole night was magical, filled with light and love for a glamorous, hardworking, inspirational daughter, sister, mum, aunt, colleague, and loyal friend – Christine Julie Wilkinson.”
Entertainment and photography was provided free of charge thanks to local singer songwriter and Christine’s cousin, Karl Beare, Bangor DJ Ryan Moffett, and photographer Colin Patterson.
Donations may still be made on Christine’s Memory Page at https://memoryfund.mariecurie.org.uk/in-memory/Christine-Wilkinson
