Sarah passed away in September of last year.
Cheryl, Nicola Roberts and Nadine Coyle have paid tribute to their late bandmate Sarah Harding today during the Race for Life at Hyde Park.
Sarah passed away last September after becoming ill with breast cancer, and her Girls Aloud bandmates honoured her memory at today’s event, which raised money for Cancer Research UK.
The group gathered at the event at 11am, and Nicola went on Instagram Live this morning where was joined by Kimberly Walsh, who was unable to make the event in person today, but is taking part at an event in her hometown.
Ahead of the event, Cheryl spoke about her grief over losing Sarah.
“It doesn’t feel like she’s gone at all,” she said. “To be honest, I’ve never experienced or anticipated this grief.”
Nadine Coyle, meanwhile, spoke about how she was “in denial” over the loss.
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She said: “This time last year we were actually hanging out. We all met up last year. She was there and we were talking and she didn’t even seem that sick.
“I was in denial the entire time and was the friend that was ‘Oh, it’s gonna be all right’, you know, I was completely in denial right up until the day she passed.”
Today, the girls re-shared a message from All On The Board, which paid tribute to Sarah.
It read: “Life got cold when you passed away, we prayed in 100 different ways for some kind of miracle, and hoped that we would see the day.
“The memory of you will live forever and a night, and shine brighter than a long hot summer lit by the sun, nobody is untouchable when it comes to cancer and love is pain for the loving kind when sadness breaks the heart but, love is the key to remember a whole lotta history.
“As we’re waiting for the healing process to start, grief is a daily challenge that makes you emotional, and throws you at times you don’t expect it to.”
It continued: “When you’re missing a loved one it’s still a shock and it doesn’t feel right to put on a performance without you. To celebrate the landmark of Girls Aloud’s 20th year, we can cherish those moments as we’re rolling back the rivers of time.
“Knowing if love could have saved then you would still be here.”
