Three women tell us about the extra-special relationships they’ve been lucky to have

Sam Mercer, 52, adored her husband’s mother. But something unexpected was about to deepen their bond forever…

Do you remember that park you used to take me to as a kid, the one with the red, boat-shaped climbing frame? It wasn’t too far from our home in Hull where we lived. You’d often sit on a bench chatting

Twirling around and waving her arms on stage, my eldest, Laura, then six, had a huge smile on her face as she glanced at me and her dad Mac, then 29, in the audience. ‘What a superstar,’ I whispered,

As I watched the kids all filing into the school hall, I forced myself to smile. I loved my job as a youth minister, working in schools with kids aged between five and 10. It brought such joy to my li

When Michael’s mother, Linda, was diagnosed with bone cancer in January 2023, Michael was devastated. Although Linda’s cancer is incurable, doctors told them it could be stabilised with an operation t