Sandra Goldsmith - Vikki's Legacy
Sandra Goldsmith and her family have raised more than £27,500 for Saint Francis Hospice in memory of her beautiful daughter, Vikki Powell. Here, Sandra shares why fundraising is helping her fulfil a promise she made to Vikki, and keep her memory alive.
Vikki was kind, caring and adventurous, a loyal friend through and through. Born in June 1985, she grew into someone who collected friendships easily and kept them for life. Many of her closest friends were the same ones she’d had since secondary school. She didn’t always show her affection openly, but everyone who loved her knew exactly how she felt.
She married Michael and became mum to two beautiful boys, Elijah and Micaiah, who were just five and three when she died on 28 April 2018, at only 32 years old. She absolutely worshipped those boys. Her biggest fear was leaving them, yet she was so incredibly selfless. She even told Michael she wanted him to meet someone else one day, so the boys would still have a mother figure. Vikki loved dancing, singing and travelling, but nothing brought her more joy than being their mum.
Like most mums and daughters, we had our moments in the teenage years, but as she grew older, we didn’t just become close, we became best friends. She wanted me by her side for the births of both boys, and I will treasure that forever.
Our bond deepened further when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in September 2015. She’d found a lump while breastfeeding, and although the doctors first thought it was mastitis, tests confirmed the worst. She needed chemotherapy, radiotherapy and a mastectomy, and because she was so young, she chose to have reconstruction at the same time. Treatment was incredibly tough, and I helped in every way I possibly could.
The day before her final treatment in March 2016, I was called back after my own first mammogram, and with Vikki right next to me, I was told I also had breast cancer. As awful as it sounds, I sometimes think the timing was a strange blessing. My treatment meant I had to take a year off work, which gave me the time to be there for her even more, especially with the boys.
Just as I was finishing treatment, Vikki was told her cancer had returned and was terminal. I couldn’t bring myself to ring the bell at the end of chemo. I couldn’t celebrate knowing she wasn’t going to get better.
Eventually, the cancer spread to her bones and liver, and she had to stay in hospital. When we were told she had two months to live, she looked at me and said, “Mum, I’ll never get to take my boys to South America.” I don’t know why she thought of that in that moment, but it broke my heart. Two days later, she was gone.
Saint Francis Hospice stepped in when Vikki became very ill. They supported her with disability benefits, a blue badge, family therapy, and even sent a lady who gave her hand and foot massages that she absolutely loved. It was the only outside help she had during her entire illness, and it meant the world to both of us.
Before she died, Vikki told me that her biggest fear was being forgotten. She said, “Mum, I’d love you to do something like your friend does, fundraising in memory of her husband.” She wanted me to do the same for her, to keep her memory alive. I promised her I would.
We held our first event in September 2018 and raised around £3,000. Since then, we’ve held our Family Fun Day every single year. Each year we welcome a celebrity guest, and Moments of Memory Photography donate half their profits from photo prints and signatures. We have a football match with Michael and family friends playing against Rainham Working Men’s Club, with kits printed with Vikki’s name and the number 32, her age. Now that her boys are older, we include a children’s match too.
The day has grown and grown. We’ve now got bouncy castles, a face painter, children’s characters, a DJ, a magician and so much more. Rainham Working Men’s Club kindly give us the hall and garden for free and cover many entertainment costs. Our raffle is always a huge success thanks to friends who donate prizes through Facebook, and our auction, supported by E13 Events, brings in amazing amounts each year.
I love fundraising for Saint Francis Hospice because it gives me the chance to talk about Vikki. She would be so proud. It makes my heart swell to see families enjoying themselves - and knowing the hospice benefits too. People always tell me it’s the best day of the year, and that means everything to me.
This year, I also achieved something I’d been planning for a long time, a Q&A event with E13 Events and West Ham legend Julian Dicks. We raised £4,010. Our total is now over £27,500.
Our event this year will be on Sunday 31st May, and I’m hoping we’ll pass £30,000. We call it a Family Fun Day because Vikki loved family, her friends, and their families. The whole day is for families to enjoy - and seeing it all come together keeps me going every year. The club earns extra behind the bar and in the food shop, people have a fantastic day, the hospice receives over £3,500, and Vikki’s memory is carried on. Her photos are always there, and we talk about her all day long.
That’s what keeps me focused. And when my time comes, I hope people will remember me for doing good, just as I promised my girl I would.
