Bowel cancer sufferer to be at own living wake in Shrawley

A consultant told Mike Lewis that he may not make his 80th birthday, estimating that the pensioner may only have a matter of weeks left to live after he has suffered from bowel cancer for the past two years.

His daughter, Natasha Lewis has since come up with the idea of a "living wake", through her job as a funeral director.

Miss Lewis said: "I came up with this idea when I was working as a funeral director and I realised that you don't have to follow a set path. 

"I talked to my dad about the idea of having a wake before his death, I asked him how he felt about the idea and, although he took some time, he said 'yeah it was a good idea'."

Mike Lewis (Image: Natasha Lewis)

Mr Lewis, from Shrawley, will join around fifty to sixty people, who are set to attend the wake, held at the New Inn, Shrawley at 3pm on Saturday, April 6.

A PowerPoint along with photos to pass around will be shown to celebrate the life of Mr Lewis, who is a member of Kidderminster's Freemasons. 

Miss Lewis added: "There will also be an urn on a table with paper next to it for people to write down messages and memories and, when he passes, we will put it in his coffin. 

"We also wanted his coffin to be there, but he decided against it because he thought that it would be too much and I didn't want to push it. 

"Ultimately, at the end of the wake, hopefully my dad will get some comfort in knowing what people have to say about him.

Mr Lewis's funeral director will also be joining the wake. 

Mike Lewis (Image: Natasha Lewis)

Miss Lewis then said: "We are trying to make a joke out of it. 

"I think people should get to know their funeral director so when it gets to that time it's not so scary and not so morbid. 

"There are different ways of doing things and there is no right way."

Money raised will go towards St Richards Hospice.

Living Wake Invitation (Image: Natasha Lewis)