AFC Rushden and Diamonds to celebrate life of fan who died aged just 38 at first game of the season

AFC Rushden and Diamonds will celebrate the life of one of it’s biggest fans as their season kicks off this weekend.

Rushden woman Kit (Kirsten) Dzeryn MBE was born at KGH on 20 June, 1984, but after being diagnosed with incurable stage 4 metastatic breast cancer five-and-a-half years ago, she died in Gloucester on May 8 this year aged just 38.

Kit was a bright, determined, loyal and incredibly talented individual with many interests including her work in national security (anti-terrorism), medical research and politics.

She attended local schools including Whitefriars juniors and infants, Northampton High School and Campion School in Bugbrooke before graduating from University College, Aberystwyth, with a degree in International Relations in 2005.

She did this despite having tragically lost her mum at just 16 to a brain infarction.

She went on to have a distinguished public service career at the Government Communications HQ at Cheltenham.

She was awarded an MBE for services to National Security in the New Years Honours List of December 29, 2018 when only 34-years-old, a remarkable achievement which in the view of her colleagues was much deserved.

She was diagnosed with incurable stage 4 cancer in November 2017 but despite that and various other health problems she continued working and living her life to the full, which included AFC Rushden and Diamonds, numerous wild animal parks and experiences and visiting her beloved Stiffkey in Norfolk just weeks before her death in May.

She became an expert on metastatic breast cancer and participated in several clinical trials at the Royal Marsden.

Kit’s dad John Green told the Northants Telegraph: “She was always optimistic they would help her but took the philosophical view that even if they didn’t others suffering from this insidious form of the disease would be helped in the future.”

One of Kit’s main passions was AFC Rushden and Diamonds.

She travelled from Gloucester to watch them play at every opportunity, home and away, having been a season ticket holder with both the original and then the phoenix club from the age of 12 onwards.

The club posted her obituary on it’s website following her death and is going to celebrate her life and her unflinching support for the team at the opening game of the new season on Saturday (August 12) at Hayden Road.

The club will also be organising a bucket collection during the game for one of Kit’s favourite charities, Make Seconds Count.

The charity sponsors research into secondary or metastatic (stage 4) breast cancer, a disease which is currently incurable and which takes the lives of 31 mainly young women every day.

It also offers counselling and support to people affected by it and their families.

Fellow Diamonds fan John, who still lives in Rushden, said: “Kit’s was a life well-lived, filled with love, fun, a sense of adventure and a dedication to public service of the highest order.

“Those many lives she helped keep safe from terrorism in both this country and abroad will never even be aware of her existence which is just as she would have wanted it.”

He said she will be much missed by those who knew and loved her, including love of her life husband Phil.