A WIDOW is continuing her late husband’s online diary after he lost his battle with cancer.

Sarah French’s late husband, David French, lost his fight against bowel cancer in February last year at the age of 47, after writing on an internet blog about living with the disease.

Now Sarah has revealed that since her husband’s death she has been continuing his work, which has raised £4,300 for Macmillan Cancer Support, in a bid to raise awareness of what it is like for people to lose their partner.

The mother-of-one, who is an office manager at Archbishop Holgate’s CE School, in York, is also trying to set up some local support for widows and widowers, under the auspices of the Way Foundation, a charity for people who have been widowed aged 50 or under.

David’s postings have been read by people all over the world, and are being used by York Hospital and Macmillan Cancer Support in staff training, as well as by the University of Brighton during the training of doctors and other medical professionals. Sarah, 46, of Fishergate, York, said: “The blog’s actually got a new following. As well as family and friends still reading it, it’s actually picked up some publicity and people who have lost their partner, bereaved people, are reading it now.”

Writing a message to Dave on the blog shortly before Christmas on behalf of herself and her daughter, Emma, Sarah said: “Emma and I miss you more than words can say. We still have a big Dave/Dad shaped hole in our lives that no one else can fill.

“I miss being wrapped and cossetted in your love, knowing that you had so much love for me made for a life of grace and ease.

“I am still so unbearably sad that you died, but then we always said life wasn’t fair. Somehow, Emma and I are getting through this time and will continue to stand for a life full of fun, love and laughter (despite their being quite a bit of evidence to the contrary at the present time!), but we will get there in order to honour your memory. You would be very proud of the amazing young woman that Emma has become.”

On setting up a local support group for bereaved people, Sarah said: “There isn’t anything in York at the moment that I’m aware of. The nearest place is Leeds, so I’m setting up a group in York and I’ve got quite a few people interested.”

David, who endured radiotherapy and chemotherapy, started the blog in November 2008. He made his last entry on February 2, one week before he died.

The blog can be found online at thecancerjourneyofanormalbloke.blogspot.com