H
ELEN SADLY passed away on the morning of 14 December 2023. She had survived three different cancers in her time since 2007. In November last, Helen had a diagnosis of a secondary breast cancer that had spread to her liver. Although a palliative care plan had been arranged, she became suddenly ill at the beginning of December. The speed in which the cancer took her was a tremendous shock to us all.
Helen came to find God during 2007 and was baptised at Grace Church, along with her twin sister, Sally Card. They both said that they were ‘born again’. Ever since, Helen and Sally would attend services together at the church on most Sundays.
Sally was the first to attend Grace Church, where another lovely lady called Jill also attended. Jill happened to work at Caversham Primary School, where Helen had started to help out as a lunchtime supervisor back in 2001. Helen’s son Joseph and daughter Megan also attended the school and had a happy time there. Helen and Jill became good friends at school, so Jill invited Helen to attend Grace Church with her, when Helen first became ill with chronic myeloid leukaemia. On arrival at Grace Church, Helen surprised her sister Sally, who was not expecting her to be there.
Helen often spoke of the wonderful times she had working with the children and staff at the school. Before she took sick leave on 1 December, Helen had wished she would eventually return to the job she so adored.
On Tuesday afternoons, Helen and Sally would travel together to Grace Church to attend the ‘Knit and Knatter’ handcraft group. Helen produced a Cross Stitch Sampler of the Lord’s Prayer with the intention of gifting it to Grace Church.
When Helen was moved to the Sue Ryder, Duchess of Kent Hospice in Reading during the last few days of her life, we asked Helen if Sally could carry out her wish and present the cross-stitch to the church on her behalf.
Before Helen’s passing, Sally presented the Lord’s Prayer to Grace Church, where it is now in a prominent place.
She will be greatly missed by her family, Church, and Caversham Primary School
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