Devastated Kilmarnock teachers to run Race for Life in tribute to beloved pupil Katy Hay

Daily Record

18-05-2025

Teachers are hoping to reach their £10,000 target for Cancer Research UK in Katy Hay's memory.
Park School teachers are set to take part in Race for Life as a heartfelt tribute to Katy Hay, a beloved S4 pupil who passed away after a courageous battle with cancer.
Fifteen-year-old Katy sadly lost her battle last month after fighting one of the rarest and most aggressive forms of bone cancer for the past year.
‌
The event, which raises money to fund life-saving cancer research, will see the Park School team running and walking in Katy's name.
‌
Julie Martin, one of the teachers taking part, got a leaflet through her door about the Race for Life in Ayr. Julie asked on WhatsApp group if any of the teachers would be interested in taking part. From that suggestion the idea of doing it for Katy sprang up.
Alanah Robb, who was Katy's key teacher, took charge of the JustGiving page and Claire Matthews, the other S4 key teacher, took charge of the more publicity and marketing aspects of finding funding.
On behalf of school Alanah and Claire shared with Ayrshire Live: "We are all excited and nervous about doing it in equal measure. Planning for this and getting Katy's story out there to raise money for Cancer Research has given us a purpose and made us feel that we are helping in a horribly sad and tragic time.
"Words cannot express how devastated we are by the loss of Katy. We are a small, tight-knit school, more like a family really.
"Katy will be sorely missed by staff and pupils alike. We are finding it very difficult to come to terms with this painful end to Katy's young life.
‌
"As a family we will support each other and ensure that Katy's spirit lives on within our community."
Alanah and Claire described Katy as "cheeky, stubborn and feisty" but also "extremely loving, caring and supportive."
‌
They said: "Most people reading this never got the chance to meet Katy and only know about her because of her illness. However, Katy was so much more than her cancer diagnosis.
"The Katy that we knew was full of personality and sass. She was cheeky, stubborn and feisty. She had withering looks and rolling her eyes down to a fine art. A typical teenager!
"However, Katy was also extremely loving, caring, supportive, loyal to her friends and family and had a strong sense of right and wrong. She demonstrated immense strength and resilience always, not just when faced with the enormous challenges of this last year.
‌
"Katy came from a large, loving family who she spoke about her constantly. In fact, if you know Katy's family you will know they are a tribe of strong women who are never far from one another."
Katy knew about the fundraiser before she passed away peacefully on Tuesday, April 29.
She was moved by the gesture from her teachers and felt proud.
‌
Katy's mum Shelly Cornick said: "I am so proud of the staff at Park School for doing this for Katy.
"I just wish she was here to see it, she was so excited to go and watch them."
Claire said: "Katy followed the progress of the fundraiser page and her mum Shelly told me that Katy was really proud of what we were trying to achieve in her name. They are completely supportive of everything that we are doing."
‌
She continued: "The last time we saw Katy was when a photographer came to Park School on Thursday, April 24 to take photos for an article on our participation in Race for Life.
"Katy and her mum came too so that she could be in the photos with us wearing our Katy T-shirts. These T-shirts were kindly printed by Scott at Scottprint at no cost.
‌
"Katy and her mum had a good laugh at the T-shirts and Katy made sure that her mum showed us photos of her in her beautiful baby blue prom dress. Katy chatted about her upcoming trips to Craig Tara and Legoland. She talked about her new Beauty and the Beast Lego set and how she was looking forward to getting it started. She was in great form.
"It was such a special morning and a memory we will all cherish.
"In true Katy style she would not smile for the photographer Ross [Turpie] despite his best efforts. You really had to work hard to get a smile from Katy but when you succeeded it was so worth the effort."
‌
Park School teachers are now training for the Race for Life which will take place at The Low Green on Sunday, June 1.
Alanah said: "We are all training in different ways. Some are planning to run the 10k so they are running most nights. A few of us are planning to walk so we are taking advantage of this good weather and getting out after work.
"We have set up a team of 10 teachers but there are other teachers and Pupil Support Assistants who are going to join us on the day so I'm not sure how many there will be in total."
‌
She continued: "Scott at Scottprint printed Katy's photos onto our T-shirts at no cost. He also printed 300 leaflets to be distributed around the town. He has offered to reprint these with the painful update. Robin Burgess of Cyncronet, very kindly designed the leaflets at no cost and Morrisons and New Look donated the T-shirts."
The JustGiving page has now raised over £3,000 in donations and teachers are hoping to reach their £10,000 target.
Claire added: "More than ever we want to reach our goal. Katy was following our progress. She didn't get to have her prom or go to Lego Land so we want her to have this as her legacy."
To support a fundraiser, please visit here.