Husband’s plea to fulfil wife’s bucket list

By James Wyllie

February 26 2018, 6:59 am

Kerryann, Emely and Gillan Harper

The husband of a young mum battling cancer has launched an impassioned plea for strangers to help her live her dreams – through their own pictures and adventures.

Kerryann Harper was diagnosed with a rare ocular melanoma last February, which spread to her liver.

Over time it has grown more aggressive and unresponsive to treatment, prompting the 31-year-old’s family to look at experimental treatments and any lifestyle changes to prolong her life and allow her to see one-year-old daughter, Emely, grow up.

In December, her family began fundraising to help her complete a 38-point bucket list of activities she still wanted to enjoy while she was able to, ranging from heartwarming family moments, to international travel and once-in-a-lifetime experiences.

Mrs Harper has been able to complete two since then – giving her daughter a Christmas day to remember, and being walked down the aisle by her father to marry “best friend” Gillan last month.

But now her desperate husband has taken to social media, asking people to pitch in and complete the remaining challenges on the list as “time is not something we have any more”.

Mr Harper, of Aberdeen, said: “We tried to raise money to let her achieve her bucket list, but unfortunately now she is just too weak.

“The only thing I can think of is to let Kerryann have the experience through strangers, friends or simply anyone kind enough to help.”

More than 10,000 people across the world have taken the cause to their hearts, with picture messages of people swimming with dolphins, skydiving and their favourite images of Scotland accompanied by slogan #forkerryann

Good Samaritans have even shared the message with celebrities to maximise exposure, and ensure Mrs Harper’s list is ticked off.

Mr Harper added: “Hopefully together with the power and love of strangers, friends and family we can finish this bucket list together.

“I would love to show her some videos of people doing things, just to see her smile again.”

Some of the activities on the list include skydiving, meeting an A-list celebrity – of which Mrs Harper’s first choice would be Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson – and cycling around Central Park in New York City.

Mr Harper said: “If you ever met Kerryann for more than five minutes you would understand how amazing she is.

“She is the most beautiful person I’ve met inside and out, and would put herself last in a room full of strangers to see any one of them smile.

“She is the strongest person I’ve ever met and I hope our daughter Emely has half the strength – which I assume will make her a superhero.”