PAT’S PEOPLE
My wife Patricia sadly passed away in February 2010, only five weeks after cancer had been confirmed, and just over two months since an operation for the removal of her gall bladder, a process that our family expected to be routine. Unfortunately it was not, and I hope you can understand when I say that my life was turned upside down.
Pat (as she was widely known) and I had been together since September 1963, so you may imagine the shock and heartache that our family experienced then, and are still learning to cope with, over 18 months later.
Gall bladder cancer, part of the Hepatobiliary strain, is a quite rare and very aggressive form of the disease. In Pat’s case, diagnosis came far too late to save her. Pat spent her last days at St. James’s Hospital in Leeds, and whilst their Oncology Department is world renowned, Hepatobiliary research lags well behind in terms of manpower and funding. I understand that there are six Research Fellows working specifically in this area at St. James’s, and it costs each one approximately £10,000 per year in laboratory expenses alone, so you can see what they are up against.
Late last year our family decided to try to assist the people at “Jimmies”, if only in a small way, and I became an authorised fundraiser for the “Rays of Hope” Trust Fund (ref 5T41), the Trust Fund for the Hepatobiliary Department, which is part of the Leeds Teaching Hospitals Charitable Foundation - Registered Charity Number 1075308 - with the personal ambition of trying to raise something in the region of £20,000 by the end of March 2011, just after my 70 birthday.
Updating this page in September 2011, clearly we didn't hit our target, but altogether, thanks to some very generous people, a raffle, and a fantastic Brass Band Concert featuring the award winning Black Dyke Band that we organised in March at Morley Town Hall, we have so far raised £6800.
As far as the fundraising goes I am pretty much a "one man band" and am struggling to get publicity for Pat's People, which I think is going to be vital if we are offer serious help to St James's. If there is a "personality" out there who reads this, or someone who knows anyone who could help, please get in touch.
Another Black Dyke concert has been arranged for Thursday March 29th next year, this time at Ossett Town Hall, our home town. Please put that date in your diaries - more details will be available later in the year. Based on last year's feedback, it will be an event not to be missed!
The key factor in this campaign is diagnosis time. It is impossible now to work out exactly when correct diagnosis would have been needed to give Pat a fighting chance, but if we can assist research into this disease at St. James’ and help to save the life of just one person in the process, our efforts will have been worthwhile.
So, if you feel able to join our cause right now and become one of Pat’s People, you can make a donation - however small - via this website. JustGiving will send your donation direct to the Leeds Teaching Hospitals Charitable Foundation for "Rays of Hope", and if you are a tax payer they automatically reclaim Gift Aid on behalf of the LTHCF. Furthermore JustGiving is fast and totally secure, and guarantees never to spam you or sell your details.
Your help and generosity will mean a great deal to our family, and with all funds received being "ringfenced" and going direct to “Rays of Hope”, they will be enormously grateful.
With thanks in advance for your generosity,
Sincerely
Graham Willis – Telephone 01924 266393 or at geewill41@yahoo.co.uk
Supported by David and Lisa, Christopher and Harry; Stephen and Clare, Gregory and Victoria.
