This August at Your Local Link we are very excited to be promoting the efforts of York Against Cancer, a local charity who have raised over £20 million for cancer patients.
Their mission is to make a difference to everyone affected by cancer and have continued to do so through groundbreaking research – by providing free minibuses to St James’ Hospital in Leeds and the funding of a chemo treatment unit among a host of other services.
The success of the charity, let alone the running of a minibus that travels over 16,000 miles each year for patients, would not have been possible without the support of its brilliant volunteers.
This year has been no exception as the charity raised more than £81,000 through the inspirational efforts of their community, organising countless incredible fundraisers.
This month we want to take time to focus on the exalting efforts made by some of the most dedicated and defiant contributors to York’s fight against Cancer. The first of these is a lady called Claudine and her family, including her seven-year-old son Ebben, who took time out of their busy lives to complete the 115km Camino de Santiago trek.
When her friend Rachael was diagnosed with leukaemia, Claudine was inspired to set herself a challenge and make a difference for people living with cancer.
Claudine said: “When Rachael told me the news I felt helpless. Watching my friend suffering so much and knowing there was nothing I could do to take away her suffering, I decided to embrace life. Rachael has made a huge difference in many people’s lives and continues to do so through her unconditional love for others and her selflessness towards people in need. She is our inspiration and has got us through each day.”
Another unbelievable story of courage comes from local lad Luke and his friends. They responded through defiance rather than despair after their friend Harry Cook was diagnosed with Hodgkin Lymphoma, Luke and his friends decided to show their support and raise money for York Against Cancer by undertaking a charity head shave. By the time donations closed, they had more than doubled their goal of £1500, raising over £3300 for the charity.
At York against Cancer you can find so many more examples of people taking responsibility to change someones life for the better. When one person like Luke goes out of their way and makes the commitment to help out, it can make the world of difference. Following Luke’s example hundreds of people came together, some of who didn’t personally know Harry Cook, but were inspired as we are by Luke’s fund-raising to lend a hand: they helped more than double Luke’s initial target. Charities like York Against Cancer really help bring the best out of us and our community and hearing these stories serves as a constant reminder of how special York is as a place to live, it’s a truly loving community that cares.
If you’re inspired by Luke, Claudine and Ebben and think you might have a little spare time make sure you get in contact. Who knows how far your volunteering will go. Whether you have been personally affected by cancer or simply want to give something back to the community, York Against Cancer always appreciate your fundraising efforts.
Find out more about how you can help out on their website: www.yorkagainstcancer.org.uk
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