Lytham St Anne’s gran raises £10,000 for Macmillan Coffee Morning after cancer diagnosis

Macmillan’s iconic Coffee Morning is back this Friday (September 27th) with people across Lancashire set to raise thousands for people living with cancer.

The event, which sees communities come together over food and drink, is the charity’s biggest annual fundraiser, helping to raise money for vital cancer support services across the region.

Last year £18 million was raised through Coffee Mornings across the UK, with people in Lancashire contributing an incredible £358,222, enough to help the charity’s Cancer Information Nurse Specialists to run the Macmillan Support Line phone service for a whole month.

Among those taking part is Barbara Naylor, 66, from Lytham St Annes, who was diagnosed with stage 3 ovarian cancer in February 2022. Despite having weekly palliative chemotherapy, Barbara has been relentlessly fundraising for Macmillan. She’s raised £10,000 for Macmillan through coffee mornings and cycling challenges with husband Peter.

This summer Peter completed a 1000 mile cycling challenge across different UK towns and cities, with Barbara providing support with route planning between treatment sessions.

Barbara said: “Receiving a cancer diagnosis is astounding. Your whole life and reason for being comes crumbling down. I first felt like something wasn’t right in December 2021. I felt very bloated and was putting on weight. I went to see my GP he referred me down the cancer route. I was suspected of having a ‘cystic mass’ on an ovary after being scanned.”

After coming round from surgery, Barbara was told her cancer was incurable but treatable.

She said: “There were some post-surgery complications and I was in the Royal Preston Hospital for eight days. No visitors were allowed on the ward. After coming round from surgery and being given the diagnosis which was incurable but treatable, I longed for face-to-face contact with my family. The Macmillan nurses visited my bedside every day and took time to talk and reassure me. I looked forward to their daily visits and uplifting conversations.”

“Macmillan supported us with two grants, these were much appreciated as I was up during the night and we needed to have the heating on at a time when energy costs were rising fast.”

Peter first started cycling around the Fylde Coast last May, raising £3,040 for Macmillan. This year he’s completed events in York, Pitlochry, Tenby and Middlesborough, clocking up 1000 miles and raising £4000.

Having completed their cycling challenge, Barbara and Peter are now planning this year’s Macmillan Coffee Morning.

Barbara said: “Since we moved into our current home, we have held coffee mornings/afternoon teas for Macmillan. We’ve always admired their work. Macmillan helped when both my parents were in their final days. Holding an event needs some planning but is easy enough to do and very rewarding. Peter, my husband, does a quiz and we have fun at the karaoke, too!”

On average someone is diagnosed with cancer in the UK at least every 90 seconds and there are more than 3 million people living with cancer in the UK which is set to rise to 4 million by 2030.

The need for Macmillan’s support services is greater than ever, so the charity is calling on supporters to get involved again and help make a difference for people living with cancer.

Claire Spencer, Marketing Manager at Macmillan Cancer Support, says: “The countdown to Coffee Morning is officially on, and it’s always so fantastic to see so many people get involved. Whether it’s a chai afternoon, a ‘barks and bakes’ dog walk or a kitchen disco in the office, every Coffee Morning has the power to raise vital pennies and pounds which makes a huge difference to those living with cancer.”

This year’s Macmillan Coffee Morning will officially take place on Friday 27th September, but people can get involved whenever and wherever they like.

Claire continued: “Macmillan relies almost entirely on public donations to make a difference, so every penny raised through Coffee Mornings helps us continue to do whatever it takes to help people living with cancer live life as fully as they can.”

Let’s do Coffee Morning! To sign up to host a Coffee Morning or find out more information, visit www.macmillan.org.uk/coffee or if you’d rather attend a Coffee Morning, find out about events near you here https://www.macmillan.org.uk/coffee-morning/events-near-you