A time to sparkle in honour of Liz Berry
A CHARITY ball taking place next month will honour the life of a best friend while also raising funds to battle bowel cancer.
The Liz Berry Glitter Ball is being organised by Clare Dando, with some help from Wokingham Lions Club, on Saturday, May 12.
The friends were inseparable ever since they met at university in 1990, however, Liz sadly passed away in 2015 after contracting bowel cancer.
The fundraising event, which will be held on Saturday, May 12 at Reading’s Hilton Hotel on Kennet Island, sees proceeds go to Bowel Cancer UK.
Ms Dando said: “Liz Berry had been my best friend since we met at university in 1990. We had been friends for 25 years when she died on 5th May 2015, at the age of 45.
“I wanted to do something significant to honour Liz and mark our friendship in a way that would hopefully help others too. When I turned 45 on June 1 last year, I decided to start a healthy lifestyle by exercising every day for 45 minutes, and eliminating alcohol and sugary snacks from my diet.
“To date, I have lost fourand-a-half stone, and taken up new hobbies and sports. In addition, I started a Challenge 45 fundraising page for bowel cancer.
“So far, we’ve raised £4,000. “For the last year, we have been working with the Wokingham Lions Club to organise the Glitter Ball. I am so incredibly grateful to the Lions for all their help and support with the Ball.
“It’s been a privilege and a pleasure to work with their members.”
The evening will include a three-course dinner, live band, and pay to play casino. Tickets are still available.
Lyn Bailey, a member of the Wokingham Lions Club, who is helping to organise the Ball, said: “Wokingham Lions Club have great pleasure in supporting this event, and in helping to fundraise for such a worthy cause.”
Bowel cancer (also called colorectal cancer) is the fourth most common cancer in the UK, after breast, prostate and lung cancers.
More than 40,000 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer every year in the UK. If diagnosed early, bowel cancer is curable.
However, it is the second most common cause of cancer death in the UK, behind lung cancer.
Since the 1970s, fewer people have died from bowel cancer, due to earlier diagnosis and better treatment.
For tickets to the Liz Berry Glitter Ball, email Clare Dando, cjdando@hotmail.com.
To support Clare’s fundraising, log onto www.give.everydayhero. com/uk/challenge-45-for-liz