9 September 2009
£13,000 cheque presentation in honour of Tealing woman
Photo opp: 9.30am, Friday, September 11th, at Ninewells Hospital main concourse foyer. Cheque for £13,000 will be presented to Professor Alistair Thompson by Mary Woods.
The brave fundraising campaign that a Tealing woman embarked upon whilst fighting breast cancer inspired her family to carry on the work after her death and raise thousands of pounds for research into the disease.
Nikki Scott died at the age of 41 in November 2008, having battled breast cancer for seven years. Despite her illness, she became determined to help others and, with her husband Lloyd, raised £2000 for the Ninewells Cancer Campaign.
Following her tragic death, her family took up the baton, and raised an additional £11,000 through a variety of events and thanks to a series of generous donations. The money will be used to help fund the research into breast cancer being carried by Alastair Thompson, Professor of Surgical Oncology at the University of Dundee.
Nikki’s mother, Mary Woods, explained that it was important to her daughter that the money raised was used locally.
“We raised money through a dance in the Craigtay Hotel, by taking part in the Race For Life, by hosting a Cake Bake in Debenhams, where I work, a fun day in the City Square and a car wash,” she said. “I can’t thank the kind people of Dundee enough. The generosity they have shown is unbelievable and they gave a lot of money without thinking about it.”
“Not only that, but local companies have been fantastic with the level of support they have shown by donating gifts for auctions at events and with financial donations. Both my employers and Stagecoach, who my husband works for, have been wonderful. The girls at Debenhams staff have been great as well, and a lot of the girls from here were involved in the Race For Life.
“My daughter raised the first £2000 herself when she was ill, and it was important for her that the money went to a local charity. In her honour we continued with the fundraising and are delighted to be handing over this amount today.”
Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer and accounts for nearly one in threeof all cancers in women. One in nine women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime.
Professor Thompson thanked and congratulated Mrs Scott’s family for their efforts, saying, "It is only through the fantastic fund raising work that this family and their friends have been doing in memory of Nikki that, in Dundee, we are able to contribute significantly to the prevention, early detection and improved treatment of breast cancer."
He will receive the cheque from Mrs Woods and members of her family and friends. Dr Jacqui Wood, Chairman of Ninewells Cancer Campaign will be present.
Dr Wood, a veteran campaigner and fundraiser, also thanked Mrs Scott’s family for their hard work, saying, “This is a fantastic amount, and the family have done so well to raise this money, which will be used to fight this dreadful disease.”
“It was important for them that the money was used locally and, thankfully, world-leading research is being carried out in Dundee which meant that we were able to give the money directly to a cause looking at the particular cancer that affected the family.“
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