Press Release - 22nd July 2002
OVER £2,000 RAISED IN KARATE EXPERT'S MEMORY
Stella Williams and her karate enthusiast son,
Lee,
present the cheque to Dr Raj Chopra (left), head of
The Christie s Adult Leukaemia Unit. Stella Williams' husband, Colin, was a tower of strength
to her when she had breast cancer a few years ago. After her recovery,
Colin, her family and friends helped Stella raise £22,000 for equipment
at Manchester's The Christie, where she was successfully treated.
By a cruel irony, four years ago super-fit Colin also developed
cancer, but his was a particularly virulent form of leukaemia from
which he died last year. So popular was this Gresford martial arts
instructor that more than 2,000 people attended his funeral, including
many of Colin's fellow international experts in Shotokan karate.
"Colin was a seventh Dan, a very high grade, and he travelled
to many parts of the world teaching and giving demonstrations. At
the funeral, his colleagues said that out of respect for him they
would like to hold a karate seminar in his memory," said Stella.
The seminar, at the Kings High School, Chester, was attended by Cllr
Graham Proctor, then Mayor of Chester, and 200 Shotokan karate enthusiasts
instructed by Japanese expert Sadashige Kato Shihan, eighth Dan. The
event raised £2,360 which Stella and her son, Lee, a fifth Dan, presented
to Dr Raj Chopra, head of The Christie s Adult Leukaemia Unit,
where Colin, 67, was treated.
That cheque has been supplemented
by £312 raised by Stella s eleven-year-old twin granddaughters,
Lauren and Jessica Williams, of Kingsway, Chester, who sold Christie
key rings to fellow pupils during a disco at Woodford Primary School.
Stella adds that at least another £200 is expected from other sources.
Mother of six Stella now has a second set of twins among her nine
grandchildren. In January her daughter, Mandy, gave birth to Max
and Ellie who, despite being 16 weeks premature, are doing fine.
Stella and her family would like to thank all the friends and colleagues
who have supported them both emotionally and through their fundraising
efforts.
For more information please contact:
The Christie in Manchester is one of the leading cancer centres in Europe - registering around 12,500 new patients and treating about 40,000 patients every year.
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