JACQUI Drake has stage 4 skin cancer and set up an appeal to raise £1 million for home comforts and equipment for a cancer centre, where she has treatment.
Here Jacqui, of Apperley Bridge, writes about how a group of breast cancer patients have boosted her appeal - and how she’s baring all this autumn:
This group of determined ladies have raised more than £5,000 for my Jacqui’s Million appeal by completing the Leeds 10K run. They raised £4,187, with £1000 in match funding, taking their total to £5,187. The funds have brought my appeal up to a tremendous £311,361.
This means that in such difficult times we have managed to raise £36,159 towards a Bereavement Nurse - a role that is vital for patients, their families and loved ones.
This year is proving extremely hard for charities, coming out of the dreadful pandemic, and now more so with the equally terrible financial climate. Charities have noticed that their fundraising, particularly with events, is a third down.
I was totally made up therefore that 13 ladies stepped up to do the Leeds 10K to raise funds for Jacqui’s Million.”
Sara Williamson, founder of MY (Mid Yorkshire) Breast Cancer Support Group, headed up a strong team of 10 breast cancer patients and three of my close friends.
Sara, in fact, completed the event with walking sticks after having bowel surgery just a few weeks ago. We met at Leeds Cancer Centre whilst having treatment and now we have an amazing friendship. Sara believes that nothing is impossible, and of course my positivity oozes, so together we’re a force to be reckoned with.
These ladies wanted to show other cancer patients that anything is possible and that exercise can reduce the risk of (cancer) recurrence by 30per cent.
They also wanted to do it as a gift from the heart to the hospital where they have all been treated, that has saved their lives. I really can’t thank them all enough and I feel so very humble and indebted to them.
On October 9 another group of special brave men and women, again many of them cancer patients, will tread the boards at Yeadon Town Hall theatre to ‘Bare All For Cancer’. This will be an evening full of entertainment, with singer Carl Ashington performing soul, Motown and Lionel Richie hit, plus comedy by Steffen Peddie
Then 16 people - including me - will perform a ‘Full Monty’ style finale to raise awareness of this terrible disease and more much-needed funds for Leeds Cancer Centre, through Jacqui’s Million.
We all know someone who has cancer, we have all lost someone to cancer, and every two minutes in the UK alone someone is being diagnosed with this terrible disease.
I’m so grateful for everyone’s continued support and generosity in such hard times. To help us on our way to reaching that well needed million simply visit: www.justgiving.com/jacquismillion.
Every penny does count and makes a huge difference to many people. If I could reach out to a million people and they all gave just £1, the job would be done. As a terminally ill cancer patient myself, this is my absolute goal and legacy.
* To book tickets go to ticketsource.co.uk/yeadon-town-hall or call 0333 6663366.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here