A Carmarthen resident has raised an incredible £63,000 towards cancer research in Wales.
Angharad Williams from Llangyndeyrn was diagnosed with stage 2 Breast Cancer in May 2017. Following initial surgery it was discovered that her lymph nodes were also affected, which resulted in eight fortnightly sessions of chemotherapy – of the highest dose in the UK – followed by twenty daily sessions of radiotherapy.
Angharad, who has an eight year old son, said: “I can safely say that this was the worst time of my life, not only dealing with the physical side of the treatment, but also the emotional side of dealing with the unknown. My son, who was seven at the time, was unaware which meant I had to try and proceed with normal daily activities and remain as positive as possible.
“I decided to try and draw good from this dark and negative situation and threw myself into fundraising for Prince Philip Hospital Breast Care Unit (PPH BCU) – who looked after me like a queen in a five star hotel! – and Cancer Research Wales – which helps discover treatments for this cruel disease.”
Angharad held a charity auction at her family farm, Panteg, which saw 400 people attend, raising an amazing £43,000 in three hours. Lots included 3 nights in New York, a weekend at Bluestone, hospitality boxes, hampers, weekend breaks and many more.
Two months later, in October, she held a ‘pink tractor run’ with 143 tractors raising a further £15,000. The profits from the Porthyrhyd Christmas fete were kindly donated to Angharad’s cause which saw an additional £800 added to the total.
In July, Angharad’s son’s school, Ysgol Y Fro in Kidwelly, organised a 5k run to raise money for Cancer Research Wales. Children of all ages took part – the youngest just three years old – running around the village of Llangyndeyrn and finishing in the local park. The school which has only 36 pupils, raised a staggering £1,165 for the charity and presented the cheque in September.
Angharad continued: “My family, friends, neighbours and the local community in Llangyndeyrn, Mynyddcerrig, Porthyrhyd and Llanddarog have been unbelievable with their help and generosity.
“Cancer isn’t fussy who it embarks on and it has awful effects on the person concerned and those around them. I believe it’s imperative to continue to fundraise, which will hopefully help the next unfortunate individual who is dealt this horrible card. My situation could well have been very different if these wonderful charities weren’t supported.”
Angharad now requires six-monthly mammograms and will take the daily tablet, Tamoxifen, for ten years.
Anna-Marie Jones from Cancer Research Wales said: “Angharad and her entire community have rallied together and raised a truly amazing amount of money, all of which will go towards funding research into prevention, early diagnosis and better treatments for cancer patients.
“Angharad’s story is, unfortunately, too common, with approximately 130,000 people in Wales affected by cancer. It is only due to our dedicated fundraisers that we are able to continue to fund pioneering studies in the hope of, one day, finding a cure.”
For more information about Cancer Research Wales’ current research programmes, or to find out how you can raise money for the charity, visit www.cancerresearchwales.co.uk.
