GRIEVING for her father, a Hull student opened a birthday card and discovered the message of love he had written for her just before he lost his battle against cancer.
In the card to his daughter, Courtney, before he died 16 days before her 19th birthday, Mark Boxell had written: "You will cope well."
Now, after getting her dad's last message tattooed on the inside of her wrist, Courtney is giving up alcohol for a month to help the battle against cancer.
"As Dad's message is tattooed on my wrist, I will spot it every time I raise a glass to my lips, so it should help me stay strong and teetotal," she said.
Courtney, now 20, is taking part in Cancer Research UK's Dryathlon campaign, when people stop drinking alcohol for the month, in memory of her dad Mark.
She said: "I did Dryathlon last year but it will be even more difficult this year as I go back to university fairly early in January and will be surrounded by all my Hull mates enjoying a drink in the student bars.
"It's really important to me to raise funds for research and help more people survive, so I want to encourage anyone who can to take part in Dryathlon."
Courtney, who studies community and youth work at the University of Hull, is one of thousands taking part in Dryathlon and people are being asked to sign up now to pledge to cut out alcohol in January.
Launched two years ago, Dryathlon has been growing in popularity and last year, 55,000 people took part and raised £5.8 million to help fund the charity's work in beating cancer.
Mr Boxell, a water treatment engineer, was diagnosed with terminal oesophageal cancer in February last year and died in June after months of hospice stays in the family's hometown of Rugby, in Warwickshire. He was 47.
"I still think about my dad every single day, but I have happier memories now," said Courtney.
"It was terrible to see him suffering at the end and I struggled to get those images out of my head, but now I'm starting to think of him in happier times."
Courtney has set up a fundraising pledge at www.justgiving.com/marksmemory2015 and is asking people to support her challenge.
Supporters can register at www.dryathlon.org as individuals or set up a team of friends, family and colleagues to motivate each other along the way.
For those who find the thought of 31 days off the sauce too daunting, there is the "tipple tax", which allows Dryathletes to donate a £20 penalty to compensate if they fall off the wagon – particularly helpful for weddings, birthdays or those who just fancy a big night out.
Nicki Embleton, of Cancer Research UK, said: "Many of our Dryathletes, like Courtney, have told us about the great sense of achievement that comes from realising their goal, with the added bonus of 31 hangover-free days.
"Whatever the motivation for taking part, now's the time to sign up and banish the booze this January.
"We're hoping Dryathlon 2015 will be our best yet and we believe the men and women of East Yorkshire will say 'cheers' to helping us succeed in our mission to beat cancer sooner.
"It may be the height of party season, but we're encouraging people to commit to Dryathlon now, so they're ready and raring to go on January 1."
"Every pound raised by our iron-willed Dryathletes will help fund life-saving research."
