Press release - 12th August 2008
Strictly fundraising!
Matthew Hughes (far left) Sam Smith (lead nurse on the YOU), Howard Newall (regional appeals officer) and Kim Hunt (far right)Strictly Come Dancing stars have helped a Tameside student raise more than £10,000 for teenage cancer patients at The Christie.
Matthew Hughes, 20, from Audenshaw, was studying teaching at university when he was diagnosed with leukaemia and needed treatment at the young oncology unit in The Christie between August 2007 and February 2008.
Matthew said: "I was so grateful to the staff for their care at the young oncology unit I wanted to give something back and fundraising seemed like a good way to help future patients."
With the help of his girlfriend Kim Hunt, Matthew organised a charity dinner and dance at Old Trafford Cricket Club. The event was hosted by John Haven of Premier Promotions and two stars from BBC's Strictly Come Dancing Darren Bennett and Lilia Kopylova provided a fantastic demonstration of Latin American Dancing. Over 200 people attended the event which also included an auction and raffle with many prizes donated by local companies in the Tameside area.
The event raised a total of £10,146 and was such a success Matthew and Kim are planning another on 27 June 2009 at the Renaissance Hotel in Manchester.
The young oncology unit provides care for teenagers and young adults up to the age of 24 from all over the North West with cancer and related illnesses. Money donated to the unit’s activities fund helps to pay for leisure activities for young patients - providing a much needed boost when they most need it at a difficult time in their lives.
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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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