This has been postponed – “Karen’s Cause” Charity Day at Penarth Athletic Club
On Sunday August 10, the fields and the Club-house of Penarth Athletic Club in Lavernock Road will host a major fund-raising event for “Karen’s Cause”, a charity set up by 34-year old Legal Secretary Karen Holroyd, to raise funds to purchase a life-saving, non-invasive piece of technology “Cyberknife Stereodactic Radiotherapy” which helped save her life. Currently this treatment is unavailable in Wales.
When Karen, a resident of Barry, was diagnosed with terminal cervical cancer in 2010, the brave mother-of-one decided to fight back and look for a treatment that could save her life. After the failure of all traditional forms of cancer treatment, which included six cycles of chemotherapy and 25 days of radiotherapy, she found a new treatment at the NHS Trust Mount Vernon Hospital in Hertfordshire in England. She was referred to Mount Vernon Hospital and in October 2011 she underwent the new life-saving Radiotherapy, which is much more precise and accurate than the traditional forms of radiotherapy, having no damaging effects on the surrounding tissues and no serious side-effects. In September 2012 Karen was told that she was in remission and a recent check-up confirmed that she is completely free of cancer. Unfortunately, this treatment is not available to NHS patients in Wales, and Karen launched a charity “Karen’s Cause” with the aim to help purchase a “Cyberknife” for a hospital in Wales.
The event on Sunday, is organised by a supporter of the charity Leigh Land, a 29-year old DJ and sports fanatic, who met Karen and was greatly impressed by her story. He will undertake a personal sponsored challenge which includes six miles of running, 50 rounds of one minute of pad-work in a boxing ring and 50 rounds of one minute fights with 10 opponents. Over 1000 Penarth, Barry and Cardiff residents have signed on the Facebook page of the event and Leigh hopes that the event will be a success, matching, if not beating the record set by a similar gathering at Barry, which raised over £5,000.
Leigh is helped by a team of 20 volunteers and members of the Penarth Athletic Club will be at hand to help club manager Natasha Swaine run the bars. An exciting programme has been laid out, with a full boxing ring mounted on the field, several bouncy castles and other children’s favourites, which include sessions with local and international celebrities: World Champion Dance Group, Cheer-Leaders, famous boxing (pro) champions, members of Dr Who cast, singers and bands. The entry is free and the Penarth public is encouraged to attend this fantastic occasion.
For more information on Karen’s Cause visit www.karenscause.co.uk , e-mail karenscause@hotmail.co.uk
