THE family of tragic Aleasha Coan marked her birthday with a fundraising walk in her honour.

Husband Rob Coan and their sons Oliver, 11, and Toby, ten, led about 100 people on a walk along the Wivenhoe Trail to raise money for Ovarian Cancer Action.

Aleasha died suddenly earlier this year, aged 36. Although she did not die from the disease, she had an undiagnosed extremely rare granulose cell tumour removed at the age of 32.

Rob said: “It was Aleasha’s birthday, so it was a mixture of emotions. It was always going to be a hard day, but this meant we could at least get something positive from it.

“The boys really enjoyed it.

“Hearing the boys being able to laugh and enjoy themselves, it made me feel like it was the right thing.

“I didn’t think I would be able to see them laugh on their mum’s birthday but they were able to.”

Before the fundraiser, they had raised £4,300 for the charity, and Rob is still working out how much was raised on Saturday.

Aleasha had planned to do the walk herself.

Rob added: “Her not being here on her birthday was really hard, but we’ve raised a lot of money and hopefully awareness of the cause.

“I did it in her honour. It was something she had planned to do, but on a much smaller scale. It was very well attended. It was very humbling and overwhelming.”

Oliver and Toby wrote messages for their mum on balloons and released them during the walk.

Staff at B&Q were on hand to help with the fundraiser and had a spread of cakes waiting at the finish line.

Last month, Rob and the boys went to the charity’s research centre at Hammersmith Hospital, where Aleasha was treated for the condition, to see what their money will do.

Rob said: “They showed us what they’re doing and some of the groundbreaking research this money goes to.

“I just want to say a big thank you to everybody who turned up on the day and to those who have donated. I’m just incredibly grateful for everything.”

Aleasha went missing from her Elmstead Road, Colchester, home in January.

Hundreds of people went out to search for her but her body was found the next day, near to Essex University.

To find out more about their fundraising and to make a donation, visit aleasha.coan.muchloved.com.