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In February 2012 friends and family of Karen McManus who sadly passed away last year from Cancer began raising funds in memory of our good friend and colleague.

Originally hoping to raise a few thousand pounds Catherine Nugent and Michelle Burns held a charity night ‘Ode to a Friend’ on 16 June 2012 at Harleys Sky Bar in Rutherglen.  The night was a huge success raising over £3000.  During this period other friends and family sold football cards and held fundraising events.  Olivia (Karen’s 5year old daughter) also joined in to help by completing a sponsored cycle along with Darnley Primary/Playgroup.

In September 2012 Karen’s colleagues from Glasgow City Council Health & Safety Team (Catherine Nugent, Nikki Kennedy, Norrie McCormack, Elaine Tait, Denise McKenna, Frank Balloch, Theresa McLaughlin and John Paterson) also known as the Beatson B’s along with Karen’s partner John and friends, completed the Great Scottish Run 10K.  Robert Connor and Brian Foran also of Glasgow City Council Health & Safety (Beatson B’s) completed the ½ marathon in the same event and together the team raised over £1500 (and counting).

All proceeds will go towards the Beatson Pebble Appeal.  This is a £10m campaign to build the Beatson Translational Research Centre (Beatson TRC). This facility will be a cancer research centre that will concentrate on the development and application of technologies that will lead to the quicker identification of new therapies and diagnostics in cancer.

It will specialise in the common tumours and those that cause the most deaths in Scotland such as endocrine (breast, prostate and ovarian); smoking related (lung, throat, oral) and gastrointestinal. Construction of the new building started in March 2011 and it is anticipated the facility will be operational early in 2013.

When fundraising began the target was to reach Gold on the Beatson Pebble Appeal Donor Wall (£2000) however with the amazing generosity of those who have supported us the funds have now reached ‘Major Donor’ level (£10,000+) the highest possible level for the donor wall.  This means that a laboratory bay will be named in honour of Karen ‘Donated by all who loved Karen McManus’.  What a great tribute to such a wonderful Mum, Partner, Daughter, Sister, Niece, Cousin and Friend. 

On behalf of all of those involved I would like to say a special thank you to all who participated in fundraising and all donators, Karen would be so very proud of what has been achieved and this incredible level of donation will help to provide tremendous support to many people dealing with Cancer. 

Whilst we have achieved this remarkable target set donations can still be made as additional funds will continue to fund for support services/staff when the centre is open in early 2013.