On Thursday 28th February 2013, Manx Cancer Help held their 30 year launch event at the Manx Museum in Douglas.
His Excellency the Lieutenant Governor, Adam Wood was in attendance as well as over 180 invited guests. The patron of the charity, former World Superbike Champion, James Toseland and his wife, bestselling singer/songwriter Katie Melua were also there to show their support for the charity.
After a presentation by Manx Cancer Help CEO Andrea Chambers and Clinical Psychologist Professor Robin Davidson, James stood up to address the guests and spoke of his passion for Manx Cancer Help and the important work that they do on the Isle of Man. Before the presentation a short DVD was shown to those in attendance to explain exactly what the charity does, the DVD featured two people closely associated with Manx Cancer Help, Derek Peters a former cancer patient and Alex Cowley who is still using the service and undergoing treatment. Both spoke of their fondness for the charity and the importance of raising enough money to keep this key service running so that the facilities are still readily available on the island.
The launch event was sponsored by SMP Partners, the Island’s leading independent and corporate trust services provider. CEO of Manx Cancer Help Andrea Chambers said: ‘We are hugely grateful to SMP Partners for the support that they have given the charity whilst organising the launch event. It is vital that we hold events such as this in order to raise the profile of the charity and let people know of the valuable service that we are providing. As an independent charity, we receive no government funding and so rely on the generosity of the Manx public to help secure the charity’s long term future.’
Ally Martin, who is the Fundraising Co-Ordinator at Manx Cancer Help said: ‘On behalf of the charity I would like to thank everyone who made this event possible, James Proudfoot for donating his time and creating such a wonderful DVD, Matt Mosur for all of the time that he has given to the charity and the photographs taken on the evening, Nigel Sperring and Chris Wilson for the wonderful catering that they provided on the night and to Helen Summerscales and Jennifer Parkes of Isle of Man Advertising for all of the time that they have given to the charity, without them this event would not have been possible.’
Manx Cancer Help was established in 1983 by Eve Berridge and whilst over the past 30 years the charity has grown a considerable amount, they still hold onto the core values and services that Eve identified as being needed on the Island. It is important for Manx Cancer Help to receive sustained regular funding as the proceeds raised by events alone are not enough to keep the charity running. Manx Cancer Help is about empowering people to live with, through and beyond Cancer and funding allowing will continue to do so in the future.
Photo - Ally Martin, Professor Robin Davidson and Andrea Chambers of Manx Cancer Help, joined by (from left) Derek Peters, Steve McGowan of SMP Partners, His Excellency the Lieutenant Governor, Katie Melua, James Toseland, Alex Cowley and Mark Denton of SMP Partners.
