A birthing room at the hospital has been named in her honour and now her sister is taking on a fundraising challenge
Louise Morley, known to her family as Lucy, with her sister Sara Metcalf(Image: Supplied / Cancer Research UK)
A cherished Grimsby midwife died from pancreatic cancer just weeks after her diagnosis. Louise Morley, known to her family as Lucy, died aged 58 in January last year.
At the time of her death, Lucy’s daughter was five months pregnant with a grandson she never got to meet. Now her sister, Sara Metcalf, 57, is taking on an epic swim challenge in her memory.
Sara, who is originally from Grimsby, but now lives in Scarborough, said: “Lucy had been feeling quite sick, but she put it down possible germs from her grandchild. But then she was poorly on holiday, so when she came back she decided to go see her GP.
“This was the end of October. We could never have imagined how life was about to turn upside down after that.”
Lucy, who was fit and active and a keen runner and cyclist, was sent for an ultrasound, which revealed a large mass on her pancreas. Further investigation found this was pancreatic cancer, with no treatment options.
Sadly, Lucy died on 2 January 2025. She dedicated over 25 years of her life caring for babies and their families at the Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital in Grimsby, where she worked as a midwife and ward sister on the Blueberry Ward.
Sister Louise Morley (Lucy)(Image: Supplied / Cancer Research UK)
Sara, a geology and environmental sciences teacher at Scarborough Sixth Form College, said: “When she was diagnosed everyone kept asking what are they going to do? People get cancer and then have chemotherapy or an operation.
“But for Lucy and this cancer type, there was simply nothing that could be done. We just had to wait.”
Sara said: “Lucy was always a busy person and like a whirlwind. She had just semi-retired and was looking forward to her 40th wedding anniversary and a new baby in the family.
“But her illness was so fast, just like she was. Her death was like a steam roller, flattening everybody around her. Lucy was a force of nature. I miss her every single day, and even though I’m doing the Swimathon event, I’d much rather be sat knitting and nattering with her.”
Lucy (centre) with her daughter Ellie and her sister Sara(Image: Supplied / Cancer Research UK)
Lucy lived in Grimsby all her life with her husband, children and granddaughter. Sara said: “Lucy to us, but Sister Louise Morley at work, was loved by her colleagues, mothers and families alike, delivering generations of babies.
“A birthing room at the hospital has been named in her honour. I was always, and still am, so proud of Lucy for being a nurse.
“A career she gave her life to. Since her death, I’ve heard some incredible stories of the love and care she gave those babies and families.”
Sara, who has always been a keen swimmer, will now take to the pool for this year’s Swimathon, the world’s largest annual pool-based fundraising swim for Cancer Research UK, Marie Curie and the Swimathon Foundation.
Sara and Louise (Lucy) as children(Image: Supplied / Cancer Research UK)
Together with a team of colleagues from Scarborough Sixth Form College, also reeling from the impact of cancer, they will take on the challenge on 21 March.
Sara said: “I am taking part in the team event at Scarborough Sports Village with four of my colleagues from Scarborough Sixth Form College.
“We have made this effort to raise awareness as we have all lost people to this disease and know loved ones, friends and colleagues who have been treated or are undergoing treatment. This is a small way we can honour them.”
Sara and her family and friends have done lots of fundraising in Lucy’s honour, for Cancer Research UK, Pancreatic Cancer UK, Marie Curie, Macmillan, and more through coffee mornings, Mighty Hikes, and now Swimathon.
Sara said: “I’ll be swimming for Lucy, but also for everyone affected by cancer. We want to raise awareness, raise funds, and raise hope.”
Sara and Lucy(Image: Supplied / Cancer Research UK)
Sara and her family are now urging people across the UK to join them in the water this March. Swimathon 2026 takes place 20–22 March, marking its 40th anniversary.
By sharing her sister’s story, Sara hopes people will feel moved to help fund the research and support services that families like hers urgently need.
Sara said: “Our experience losing Lucy means we understand, all too clearly, why events like Swimathon are so crucial. Cancer Research UK, Marie Curie, they rely on us. Every length we swim helps someone else.”
Swimathon offers a variety of individual challenges from 500m up to a supercharged Triple 5k or teams of 2-5 people can take part in a 1.5k, 2.5k or 5k relay. To date, more than 750,000 swimmers have taken part across the UK and raised over £55 million for charity.
Anyone who can’t make one of the organised sessions can sign up to MySwimathon, and choose a distance, time and venue that suits to complete their swim between 1 – 31 March.
Cancer Research UK spokesperson, Lisa Millett, said: “With new technologies opening doors to new discoveries, we’re living in a golden age of cancer research. But as Lucy’s family found out, there is so much more to do to treat all cancer types and we must go further and faster.
“Fundraising events like Swimathon are vital to fuel more progress. Every length swum will help bring us closer to a world where more people live longer, better lives, free from the fear of cancer.”
Did you know you can make Grimsby Live a preferred source of Grimsby news in Google, which will mean you get more of our breaking news, exclusives, and must-read stories straight away? Here’s more information about what this means and how to do it – you can also do it straight away by clicking here .