Press Release - 11th December 2003
Asda's £22,222 Christmas Box For Christie's
In party mood - store manager Tony Rutherford (second left)
with Dr Peter Wilkinson (right) and two of the fundraisers, Eddie Dixon & Brenda
Walker.Cancer
specialist Dr Peter Wilkinson has just hit the jackpot with five
twos
in a row - a stupendous £22,222 from ex-patient Tony Rutherford whose life he
helped save 15 years ago.
It's the second bumper Christmas present given to The Christie consultant
Dr Wilkinson by superstore manager Tony Rutherford and his colleagues at ASDA,
Pilsworth, near Bury.
Last year they raised a very impressive £18,000, so he has now received a total £40,222
for his chemotherapy fund to improve facilities and support for patients taking
part in clinical trials.
The latest cheque was presented to him and to Christie regional
appeals officer Jacky Plant at the store's Christmas party held at Bredbury
Hall - and the amount was a complete surprise.
"I was overwhelmed by the money raised last year," says Dr Wilkinson. "It
was such a large sum that I thought it would be a one-off, so you can imagine
my astonishment when this year's cheque was over £22,000. I'm absolutely delighted
- I just don't know how they do it. They are very enterprising people who have
extremely generous customers. It is the generosity of local communities that
helps us make advances in the fight against cancer. This money will make a very
significant difference".
Jacky, too, was amazed: "Tony and his colleagues have really excelled
themselves. I hope they all have an absolutely fantastic Christmas because
it's what they deserve. They are just wonderful".
Tony Rutherford has actually given about £70,000 to Christie's since his successful
treatment for Hodgkin's Disease, a cancer of the lymph system, in 1988. Other
ASDA stores he has managed have also raised funds for the specialist cancer
centre.
"But my colleagues and customers at Pilsworth are exceptional," he
says. "They really put heart and soul into it while also managing to support
other charities such as breast cancer care and St Paul's Primary School, Bury.
We upgraded a classroom there and several of my managers helped to decorate it.
But Christie's will always be my chosen charity because they saved my life.
"Our Events Co-ordinator Linda Gee is a star - she organised most of the
fundraising efforts. Thanks also to three of my managers who did the Manchester
to Blackpool Bike Ride and to the ASDA Foundation for putting in £2,000," adds
Tony.
Linda staged a couple of fun weekends at the store, held tombolas and raffled
themed hampers for festivals such as Easter, Burns Night, Halloween and Australia
Day. Colleagues knitted Easter bunnies and donated gift-wrapped teddies - all
for sale - and the store bought a candy-floss machine whose sticky product
proved a winner at all the events.
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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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