SaimaTHOMPSONSaima passed away peacefully on Saturday 27th June at the age of 31 at Hospice in the Weald, Tunbridge Wells. This was two years after being diagnosed with incurable Stage IV lung cancer. She leaves behind her husband Gareth, three younger sisters Sanam, Ikra, and Nafeesa, and mother Nabeela. Saima's funeral will be held during a private service on Friday 10th July at the Bluebell Cemetery. If you would like to send a donation to the Hospice in the Weald, who took such incredible care of Saima during her final days, then please do so here: https://www.hospiceintheweald.org.uk/fundraise/make-a-donation Through her sheer determination and a can-do attitude, Saima built and sustained a successful restaurant business, which she opened with her mother, offering authentic pakistani food at the age of 26. In her short but extraordinary life, Saima carved a special place for herself as a trail-blazing restaurateur in an industry where immigrant women chefs running independent restaurants with no PR budgets have limited visibility, access to resources, and opportunities. Saima refused to let cancer extinguish her indefatigable spirit. In between her treatment, she organised supper clubs to raise funds for cancer support charities, wrote and spoke regularly on the need to break down taboos and misconceptions on living with cancer as a young woman of colour, set up a BAME cancer support group, and co-hosted a podcast on BBC Asian Network. What shone through all of Saima's endeavours was her tremendous fortitude and her innate ability to catalyse conversations, collaborations, and a sense of community. Her family will continue her legacy and exude her zest for life and desire to help others.
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