£3,090 raised to help fund counsellor for family members of cancer sufferers

Ballroom dancers, friends and family … and even a head shave, have all contributed to money being raised to help fund a counsellor for family members of cancer sufferers.

Members of the Hiam Sports and Social Club, in Prickwillow, on the Cambridgeshire/Suffolk border, along with regular tea dancers at Stanton, have been instrumental in £3,090 being raised for the post at the West Suffolk Hospital.

The bulk of the money came from a head shave by Sharon Hardy, the chairman of the committee of the club, plus donations following the funeral of Alan Batt.

Alan died in July this year after being diagnosed with leukaemia. It was only discovered a few months earlier in April and the 80-year-old was cared for by staff at the hospital.

But his wife Val, who lives in Bury St Edmunds, said although the medical staff were “brilliant” they were not able to offer the mental care and support needed for her and family.

“We wanted to raise the money for a counsellor for the families of loved ones who are going through cancer treatment and we felt it was a worthy cause,” said the 77-year-old.

“The staff were really, really lovely but they just didn’t have the time to be with us.”

So, after having a chat with Sally Daniels, the fundraising manager for My WiSH, which supports the work at the hospital, the decision was made to target funds for a counsellor.

She told how along with her son and daughter, Steve and Sam, they had the anguish of dealing with Alan’s illness and how a counsellor would have helped them with the trauma.

Alan and Val were keen ballroom dancers and used to run the afternoon tea dances at Hiam Sports and Social Club from 2016 right up until Alan’s illness.

Sharon decided to take on the head shave, which contributed £1,108.50, just a few days before Alan died and which was the instigation of the fundraising. It was carried out just outside his room on the Macmillan Unit at the hospital and Sharon even brought him a bottle of his favourite non alcoholic beer.

A further £150 came from the Stanton dancers with £390 from his funeral at the West Suffolk Crematorium, in August, which was packed out with 135 people attending, plus donations.

Sharon said: “Alan was vice chairman of the club, and I was very close to them both. He was such a kind and generous man and was the life and soul of the party and they are such a lovely family. “It was good to do it (head shave) and he was so pleased.”

Sally added “My WiSH were looking at providing a family counsellor to go alongside the patient counsellor we already provide so it was great to share this with Val. It’s just a shame they haven’t been able to benefit from this new initiative, but I know they are so pleased that others will in the future. Sharon’s head shave was amazing and really added some light to a dark time for the Batt family. It was a privilege to be a part of it and we can’t thank Val and everyone involved in raising this fantastic amount in memory of Alan”.

 

Pictured with the cheque for My WiSH are Louise Steggall, Macmillan survivorship co-ordinator, Val Batt and Sharon Hardy.

Written by Russell Cook for My WiSH Charity.