A FUND raising appeal in memory of a father-of-two has raised more than £15,000 for research into a rare form of cancer.

Jeremy Baggott died in late November after a long battle with Multiple Myeloma.

Now his widow, Kerry, is raising money for research into the disease and hopes members of the public will back a JustGiving appeal.

Kerry, from Alum Chine, met Jeremy, from Corfe Mullen at university and the couple moved to Dubai for work in 2007.

In March 2018, while working as the Zurich UAE General Manager, 48-year-old Jeremy was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma, which causes huge amounts of pain and for which there is no cure.

The couple, along with their two young daughters Charlotte, now 14, and Emily, 12, returned to Dorset to be near Jeremy’s favourite place - Sandbanks beach.

He had worked there as a beach cleaner when he was a student and it was regarded as a special place for the family.

On return to the UK, Jeremy received stem cell treatment at University College London Hospital and was treated at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital.

There then followed 18 months of remission but in December 2019 the cancer proved aggressive again.

Treatment during the summer proved effective and he enjoyed a final summer on the beach before Jeremy became seriously ill in the autumn. He died on November 27.

Kerry said she has since been back to the beach and added: “I thought it would be horribly sad, but surprisingly it’s not. I feel him everywhere. Being there makes me happy as I feel closer to him.

“Jeremy died knowing we were living and settled in his safe haven. He wanted the girls to grow up here – just as he had done.”

Since his death, Kerry set up a JustGiving charity page to raise money for Myeloma UK. In the first week it raised more than £15,000.

She added: “Myeloma stole from me the love of my entire life and robbed the girls of their devoted Daddy. Jeremy and I were soul mates – two pieces of a perfect jigsaw puzzle. Myeloma took him at just 50 years old – far too young. We had so many dreams still to fulfil and together we wanted to watch our girls grow up.

“Like any cancer, multiple myeloma doesn’t choose who it attacks. Jeremy was so young and fit. I will never give up raising money to help eradicate this disease.” This money will go towards supporting patients and their families inflicted by this horrific disease. And more importantly, it funds research into finding a cure.”

To make a donation, go to justgiving.com/fundraising/kerry-baggott2