Clare has £1,000 gift bottled up
AFORMER cancer patient has donated £1,000 to a charity which supported her after selling mulled wine at the Christmas lights switch-on.
Clare Kewney warmed up revellers with mulled wine at Macclesfield’s big Christmas lights switchon and managed to raise more than £1,000 for the Macclesfield Cancer Help Centre.
Clare ran a stall selling mulled wine and real ale at the event. It was a chilly, winter Saturday afternoon and the mulled wine stall provided a welcoming warmth to people enjoying the festive fun.
Macclesfield Cancer Help Centre is a charity and aims to provide friendship, help, informa- tion, support and complementary therapies for visitors. The people they support range from those diagnosed with cancer and their relatives, to people in remission. Clare wanted to help after being diagnosed with thyroid cancer last year.
She said: “I was utterly terrified and totally shocked by the news that I had cancer. Being told I had the ‘C word’ and trying to come to terms with it is not easy.
“The support I received from the Macclesfield Cancer Help Centre was amazing. They helped me in so many ways, way beyond what I was expecting. I shall never forgot the welcome they gave me, bearing in mind I didn’t want to think or talk about, it was just perfect.
“All the volunteers and service users are ready to help and support in any way they can, even now I can go at any time, get involved and still be part of the centre.”
Macclesfield Cancer Help Centre is a registered charity established in 2005 and is based at Prestbury Methodist Church. It is run by a team of 22 volunteers, who are either complementary therapists or otherwise bring their people and administration skills to the team once a week on Tuesdays.
Clare, who has been the all clear from cancer but will continue to visit for check-ups, has given the cheque for £1,050 to Hassan Pillai who is a trustee and complementary therapist at the centre.
Hassan said: “Our clients are introduced to us by Macmillan Cancer Support, The Christie and many through personal recommendations. Small is beautiful, and the intimate nature is what our clients cherish.
“Clare’s wonderful fundraising will enable us to continue to develop our therapeutic group activities and events, which are fun while also being informative when specialist speakers are engaged.”
Call 07981 899526 or visit macclesfieldcancerhelp.com.