Jackie’s raising money for units which saved her life

Uncategorised • 17th July 2014

A cancer survivor from Solihull has set up her own charity to raise money for the hospital services which have helped save her life.

Jackie Stretton was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in April 2012 and had to undergo an operation and gruelling chemotherapy treatment.

The 70-year-old said she would not have got through her illness if it had not been for the care and treatment she received at Heartlands Hospital and City Hospital in Birmingham and has set up a charity dedicated solely to raising money for these two hospitals.

With the help of family member and friends, Jackie has set up the Help Us Beat It charity (HUBI), which will raise funds for Oncology at City Hospital, the chemotherapy unit at Heartlands and towards research into help finding a cure for ovarian cancer.

“Unless you go through it, you don’t appreciate just what it is like to go through chemotherapy treatment and this is why I want to support other people who have to go through it as much as I can,” Jackie, who has been fundraising for various charities since she was 10, said.

“Due to my own personal trauma of having to cope with an illness that has not only affected me and my loved ones but also millions of other people, I have decided to start my own charity. I’ve raised money for a lot of charities in the past and I now feel it is time to work for my own charity. There are already over 200 people, who have been affected by all different types of cancer, who keep in touch with me.”

Jackie has now been given the all clear and is concentrating her efforts on supporting other people affected by cancer.

A recent fundraising event held at The Lake Barston raised around £3,000 for HUBI. The function was attended by medical staff, retired sports people, friends and family.

“When a consultant turns round and tells you they do not want to see you for six months, the relief is unexplainable. The journey up to now has been a very mixed and nerve wracking one.”