1 December 2008
Fiona's tablet boost for Breast Cancer Research
Photo opportunity - 11 am, Tuesday December 2nd,
West Park Conference Centre, Perth Road, Dundee
Fiona will present cheque for £2850 to Professor Alastair Thompson
Runners all over Tayside may still be working off the calories gained through eating the
thousands of bars of tablet made by Monifieth woman Fiona Edwards, but the benefit of buying
it will be made clear this week when Fiona hands over a cheque for £2850 to boost local
breast cancer research.
Fiona, who works in the College of Life Sciences at the University of Dundee, has been fundraising
for breast cancer research for the past six years and in that time has raised over £7000.
In the past year alone she has raised over £2800 and on Tuesday she will present a cheque
for her 2008 total to breast cancer specialist Professor Alastair Thompson, who is based
in the University’s Medical School at Ninewells. The cheque presentation will take place
at West Park Conference Centre, Perth Road.
'I take part in as many half marathons and 10k races as I can, and I raise some of the money
through sponsorship for my running,' said Fiona. 'However, I also tend to make lots of tablet
and sell it at 50p each to all the runners and spectators.
'This year I fractured my ankle in June and have been unable to compete in anything since, but
it hasn’t stopped me making tablet! The timing was unfortunate as I had made 150 bars of tablet for
the Race for Life the next day and, as I was on crutches, I had to send my parents up to
Camperdown Park in order to sell it. I did, however, still go to the races to support my friends
and also sell the tablet. It is quite amusing when you are selling someone a bar in Perth
and they say 'But I've still got the bar from Forfar two months ago!'
'My kitchen constantly has tablet on the go which takes around an hour from start to finish.
My children hate the smell of vanilla and the good thing is they will not eat it. However, as long
as I have customers then I will keep making it.
'I work at the College of Life Sciences and always keep a box 'behind the counter' for selling
to the staff which goes down well but probably not with the scientists in the next lab who are looking
for a cure for diabetes!
'Every week I also put 10 bars of tablet on my local garage's counter and the proceeds go to the
fund.'
As news of Fiona’s fundraising exploits have spread, she has found further money coming in from around the local community.
'This year I gave a talk on my fundraising to a ladies group in Monifieth called the 'Tangents'
and they gave me £100 towards my funds and only a month ago they held a 'pink' night and
passed on the proceeds which was £255.
'People who know me also give lots of support. An example is my friend's mother who, instead
of sending Christmas cards, gave me £50 she would have probably spent. It really is great
to see people rallying to raise money for what I think is a really good cause.'
Professor Thompson praised Fiona's remarkable efforts in raising thousands of pounds to support
researchers who are looking to improve methods of preventing, detecting and treating breast cancer.
'We rely on people like Fiona to raise not just money but awareness of the issues surrounding
breast cancer,' said Professor Thompson. 'What she has done has been amazing and we hugely appreciate all her efforts. Her tablet is extremely good as well!'
For media enquiries contact:
Roddy Isles
Head, Press Office
University of Dundee
Nethergate
Dundee, DD1 4HN
TEL: 01382 384910
E-MAIL: r.isles@dundee.ac.uk
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