Sharon Fox Cancer Centre | AnnaGoAnna Wallace

Sharon warned us to keep tonight free. A short while ago she then told us to be near a TV. She couldn’t hide it from us for much longer as ITV started telling us about the new series of Surprise Surprise… hell yeah! Finally Sharon had a surprise played on her!

Sharon, through the Sharon Fox Cancer Centre, has played many ‘surprises’ on people. Providing them with things that they dreamed of to do, have or be, during or after cancer treatment. She’s even arranged an entire wedding in days for a lady with terminal cancer.

I said before in my entry in 2010 that Sharon is inspirational in her setting up Sharon Fox Cancer Centre. Since then the Centre has grown, offering more services, running more support groups, moved premises (and is shortly to move again) and bought so much to the community of Tamworth.

Sharon herself has undergone further surgery, continues to remain positive about her own health and family but gives an extraordinary amount of time and effort to ensure that Sharon Fox Cancer Centre not only remains open but continues to thrive.

I’m so pleased she was honoured (& surprised) today and that she now has Michelle Mone as a mentor to help the Centre and Sharon move forward.

Oooh and the Dream Boys!

Through my journey I’ve met some amazing people. Many inspirational positive individuals who have taken their experiences and turned them into positive actions. One such person is Sharon Fox. Sharon and I met through Breakthrough Breast Cancer – we are both patient advocates. Sharon lives in Tamworth and was diagnosed with breast cancer at a young age, with small children and a busy life. She found that there wasn’t support for her in the local area and that in order to get the support she and her family needed, she would have to travel a fair distance – not possible when you’re very ill and have a family relying on you!

So, about the time when she was able to stand up again, she set out changing this. She put her story online via a BBC documentary. They filmed her highs and lows during and after surgeries and treatments. This raised the profile needed for her to be better known locally. She then set about finding an empty premises and then, the best bit, she put out a help request to the local community to help and support her in setting up a cancer centre in Tamworth! People came from everywhere to offer building works, heating engineers, shop fitters, carpenters, carpets, furniture, fixtures, fittings, gifts, kettles, items to sell and, volunteers. Within an incredibly short amount of time she was able to open the centre… not before she and her children sold their own items to raise extra cash to get it started. Selfless.

I was touched to get a mention.

So tonight I was more than happy to contribute something to her venture. I invited some friends to come with me, Liz, Kath, Zoe and I, dressed up, found masks and attended the Bells at the Belfry ‘Masked Ball’ this evening. What a fabulous evening. The evening started with a champagne reception then through to a stunningly decorated ballroom where the tables were sparkling, the food was excellent, the entertainment during dinner fabulous, a charity auction in which the bidding was ferocious and finally a live band and disco. Brilliant.

We left with a assortment of successfully auctioned goodies and a calendar. Here’s a few pics from the calendar of wonderful ladies who were affected by breast cancer posing for this calendar.

Loved the evening and know that this will have raised lots of cash to ensure the Sharon Fox Cancer Centre will continue for longer.