Features

When Alison Lewis had to undergo a course of chemotherapy after being diagnosed with stomach cancer in 2005, it was the closeness of her family that got everyone through it.

Alison believes the family is close and happy because they spend every meal time together, catching up and sharing what's been happening in their lives. They also celebrate special days of the year, such as Pancake Day, Chinese New Year and Easter, together.

L-R: Lucy, Alison and Nicole

And it's not just Alison, her husband Mike and their three children who share these times; Alison's twin sister and her husband, their children, and Alison's parents join in too.

In fact, they're so used to sharing everything that when Alison discovered it would be best to cut her long hair before her treatment, the family decided to have a 'hair cutting party', which involved all the children taking it in turns to cut and shave Alison's hair.

Spending time together is what makes Alison's family special, and having a special family is one of the things that's helped Alison recover. Now, she's doing so well she and her daughters are running the Race For Life for Cancer Research.