Mountain of tablet nets £60k for vital research

charity: Dundee woman’s home baking raises cash to help university in cancer fight

A Dundee woman has raised almost £60,000 for cancer research after baking a mountain of homemade tablet taller than Ben Nevis.

Fiona Edwards has been relentlessly baking the traditional sweet Scottish confectionery since 2003 in an effort to support breast cancer research at Dundee University.

She has been selling her home baking at running events and through friends and family around Tayside and Fife. Last year alone she raised £6,000.

Fiona said: “I’ve worked out that if all the tablet I’ve made was stacked up it would be taller than Ben Nevis.

“I still sell much of the tablet at running events across Tayside – the runners are always very good to me – and through my fitness club and family and friends.”

Although Fiona is determined to continue raising funds for the charity this year, she says there will be one minor change in her efforts.

She added: “I’ve always sold two bars for £1 but due to the cost of buying ingredients it is going up to £1.50. My rates of inflation have been frozen for 13 years.”

All of the money raised by Fiona goes to support breast cancer research in the university’s medical school.

This now includes pioneering research using 3D mammograms to help detect and measure breast cancers in women presenting with symptoms.

Andrew Evans, professor of breast imaging in the medical school and honorary consultant radiologist with NHS Tayside, said Fiona’s contribution is greatly appreciated.

He said: “We are hugely indebted to Fiona for the magnificent contribution she makes to supporting cancer research, and breast cancer in particular.

“The monies raised through charity are absolutely vital support for breast cancer research. We could not do the work we do without the support of people like Fiona.”

Fiona presented Professor Evans with a cheque for her 2016 total at the Clinical Research Centre at Ninewells Hospital.

Professor Andrew Evans of Dundee University medical school and fundraiser Fiona Edwards with her tablet.