Kingsclere Cancer Research Fundraiser group raises over £40,000 for Cancer Research UK

A party organised by four friends in Kingsclere to celebrate the end of their cancer treatment raised over £40,000 for Cancer Research UK.

Mandy Keable, Claire Ellis, Beccy Preston and Sean Cleghorn became acquainted through various local connections and the four of them decided to establish the Kingsclere Cancer Research Fundraiser (KCRF) group last year.

The group wanted to put on a party to thank those who had supported them during their treatment, but its plans soon grew into a large gala ball that had nearly 200 attendees.

The event was held at Sandford Springs Hotel and Golf Club on Friday, September 2, 2022 and the group presented a cheque of £40,222.35 to a Cancer Research UK representative outside St Mary's Church in Kingsclere on Friday, January 20.

Mrs Keable, 46, said: “Initially when the idea came to light we thought we could raise a few thousand pounds but as things grew, we saw the fundraising potential and we secretly hoped we might hit £30,000.

“To smash that and raise £40,000 was just incredible and we’re so grateful for the support we’ve received.”

Mrs Keable’s children were aged just three, nine and 15 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in June 2019.

She underwent a lumpectomy as well as receiving chemotherapy treatment that Cancer Research UK helped to develop.

Mrs Ellis, a 40-year-old music teacher who is Mrs Keable’s next door neighbour, was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2021 following years of digestive issues.

After having a tumour removed, she received a combination of two drugs— oxaliplatin, which Cancer Research UK helped to develop, and capecitabine, a treatment for which the charity led the first human clinical trials.

She said: “All four of us have had different experiences but at the heart of all of our care and treatment that has got us to where we are now, is the science.

“The funding that’s needed to enable the researchers to come up with ways of treating cancer better or helping people to maintain a better quality of life when they’re living with cancer is really important to all of us.”

Head of drama at Kennet School Mrs Preston discovered her family carries the faulty BRCA gene which increase the risk of people developing breast, ovarian, pancreatic and prostate cancer.

The 38-year-old mother of two girls aged six and nine said: “My family have been affected by breast cancer particularly badly over the years and after being checked regularly, I needed some surgery.

“It was during my recovery that I felt I’d been given an opportunity that some of my family members didn’t have.

“I was able to be looked after and treated when some of them hadn’t been and I wanted to do something. That’s when I spoke to Mandy and Claire.

“I think everybody has been affected by cancer through one way or another, whether it’s someone they know or themselves personally.

“The village really came together and supported us in raising funds so we want to do it again and raise more money.”

Mr Cleghorn, 57, joined the group after losing his wife Allison just four weeks after she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer during the winter lockdown of 2020/21.

The father of three said: “After a very emotional year, I joined the group to allow us to give something back to everyone that helped us and to try to ensure that other families don’t go through the same issues and problems that we did.

“Our aim is to increase survival rates for all cancers, especially the terribly low rates for pancreatic cancer and other currently less-survivable forms of the disease.”

The KCRF group is keen to organise more fundraising events in the future, with the group planning to hold a charity quiz night at The Crown pub in Kingsclere in late spring and a wine tasting event in the autumn.

The date for the next ball and gala dinner has also been set for Friday, September 6, 2024 and it will be taking place at Oakley Hall Hotel in Oakley.

To find out more about the Kingsclere Cancer Research Fundraiser group, visit their website http://kingsclerecrf.org.uk/

Any businesses interested in sponsoring a future KCRF fundraising event should contact kingsclereCRF@outlook.com.