Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Selfless Therese is a mum in a million
Flame of Hope Awards
A magical mum whose son beat cancer has won a national award in recognition of her determination to help other families through the disease.
Selfless Therese McGaughay, of Airdrie, received the prestigious corporate charity champion of the year accolade from Cancer Research UK at its annual Flame of Hope Awards.
Therese, 54, led a team of staff from M&Co’s Graham Street store, where she works, in raising more than £26,000 for the charity.
And right at the heart of Therese’s fundraising drive is her love for her son, Stuart McGaughay.
She was devastated when Stuart was diagnosed with Non Hodgkin lymphoma – a cancer of the lymph glands – in January 2011, aged just 22.
But after six months of chemotherapy at University Hospital Monklands and 30 radiotherapy sessions at the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre in Glasgow, Stuart – who celebrated his 30th birthday in May – is now clear of the disease and Therese couldn’t be prouder.
She said: “Stuart was my inspiration right through the toughest year of his life.
“It was a horrendous shock at first when we were told he had cancer. We’re a close family and when we all felt like we were falling to bits it was actually Stuart who kept us going with his positivity.
“Stuart had first visited the doctor after several months of feeling tired, losing weight then finding a lump on his chest.
“It was frightening as he then developed a blood clot in his left arm, causing it to swell up.
“Cancer was such a hard thing to come to terms with but Stuart did it and I’m thankful that he is doing so well now.”
Therese has another celebration coming up in August next year when Stuart, a former pupil at St Margaret’s High, marries his girlfriend Gemma McGeachie in what will be a “special day” for the family, which also includes Therese’s daughter Nicole, 23.
Cancer Research UK hailed Therese as “incredible” when presenting her with her corporate charity champion award at a plush ceremony at the Merchant Taylors’ Hall in London.
Therese said: “It felt like such an honour to receive a Flame of Hope award.
“It was an emotional and uplifting day at the award ceremony, listening to stories of courage from people across the UK who have tackled cancer head on.
“I’ll do everything I can to fundraise to help people going through cancer and help give families more tomorrows with their loved ones.”
The Flame of Hope Awards acknowledge “remarkable efforts in fundraising and volunteering made by people from all walks of life”.
The audience at the ceremony heard how Therese and her M&Co Airdrie colleagues’ £26,000 collection was part of a fantastic £ 3 million total raised by M& Co employees across the country for Cancer Research UK.
The charity’s spokeswoman in Scotland, Lisa Adams, said: “Every step we make towards beating cancer sooner relies on every pound, every hour and every person.
“The Flame of Hope awards are our way of honouring incredible people like Therese who give their time freely to raise money for research and promote greater awareness of the disease, and yet ask for nothing in return.
“It’s thanks to the support of the fundraising public and our amazing army of volunteers that we can continue to make a real difference and bring forward the day when all cancers are cured.”
Sir Leszek Borysiewicz, Cancer Research UK chairman, added: “Cancer Research UK’s drive to save lives through research makes a real difference to countless people and families every day. “It’s been an honour to host the Flame of Hope awards and hear about the ac achievements of our many d dedicated volunteers.
“It’s important to say th thank you to these truly re remarkable volunteers and su supporters for the fantastic w work they do.
“Cancer Research UK has m made tremendous progress in the fight against cancer b but that’s only possible th thanks to the commitment o of our supporters and vo volunteers, without whom it would not be possible to fund outstanding scientists, doctors and nurses.”