Westbury man supports the BCUSG Scanner Appeal

WESTBURY man, Derek Ward, recently presented a cheque for £2,000 to the  Bath Cancer Unit Support Group (BCUSG). 

Tino Polledri,  chairman of the Trowbridge fundraising branch, received the cheque which will be added to the BCUSG’s current Positron Scanner Appeal.

Derek, from Chalford in Westbury, who was diagnosed with prostate cancer in March 2014, had his head and beard shaved off as part of a fundraising evening held at The Bell at Chalford on the 1st November 2014.

Following a successful fight against the disease, Derek and his wife Angela wanted to give something back to the Cancer Unit at the RUH, as a means of appreciation for the wonderful care and support they were given during the eight weeks of intensive radiotherapy treatment.

Derek explained, “I had noticed I was paying a visit more frequently than normally, but otherwise felt fine in myself.  I only went to the doctors because we were about to go on holiday to Scotland and I didn’t want to have to keep stopping at services along the way!  Within two weeks I had been scanned, diagnosed and treatment had begun.

“Dr. Penny Kehagioglou, who specialises in urological cancers at the RUH was absolutely amazing, as were all of the team within the radiography department – nothing was ever too much trouble, even timing treatment to ensure we didn’t miss a pre-booked holiday.  I cannot praise them highly enough.”

Derek and Angela would also like to thank everyone who made their fundraising event such a success.

Every aspect of the evening’s entertainment was donated by close friends – Karen Tucker, manager of The Bell provided the venue and food, local DJ Tim Stone provided the music, Kevin Shepherd and Alan Hewitt donated tools and a Windows tablet for the auction, which was compered by Mick Maughan.  Derek’s employer, Cereal Partners at Staverton also provided a Kindle Fire HD.

But the highlight of the evening had to be when Leanne Dolbear took to Derek’s head and shaved off his hair and beard!  Derek laughed as he told everyone how people he’d worked with for years did not recognise him, and stared blankly as he greeted them the following Monday!

Derek and Angela first met Tino, chairman of the BCUSG Trowbridge fundraising branch, at the Butterfly Tree located within Castle Place shopping centre in December, and felt that the monies raised had to go towards the scanner appeal.

Tino was delighted to meet the couple and their friends at The Bell, and would personally like to thank them and everyone who contributed to the amazing sum.  The Positron Scanner appeal, which was launched at the end of 2012, passed the £1million mark in January, and the scanner has now been ordered, and is targeted to be ready for its first patient in Bath on the 1st December 2015.

This is an amazing achievement for the small charity that is run entirely by volunteers – however, fundraising continues as the group strive to raise the final £200,000 before the summer.

For more information about the charity please contact Marie Brichard-Parsons, tel: 07709 912661 or email
admin@trow bridgefrb-bcusg.org.  You can also follow the Bath Cancer Unit support group’s fundraising activities on Facebook.