Woman with terminal cancer is 'inspiration' after raising £20k for charity
A grandmother has raised almost £20,000 for Cancer Research UK after being diagnosed with an incurable cancer.
Eve Lauder, 47, learned on her daughter's birthday that she had a rare cancer known as goblet cell carcinoma.
After the initial shock, she said "there's no point moping around" and wanted to begin "making memories."
Ms Lauder from Weston-super-Mare has since thrown herself into fundraising and had messages of support from as far away as Australia and Canada.
Her GP first thought she may have cysts on her ovaries, or ovarian cancer, but it was later found to be goblet cell carcinoma, which is a rare and aggressive type of cancer often found in the appendix.
"I was kind of in denial at first", she said. "It was just so unbelievable and with it being terminal as well."
A chance meeting with another patient encouraged Ms Lauder to begin making care packages for others who are set to undergo chemotherapy for the first time.
The 47-year-old has now funded more than 100 care packages, held raffles and bingo nights, and is preparing to host a charity ball in November.
She has also been walking two miles a day for Cancer Research UK, and when the word spread among her community, hundreds of people signed up to the challenge too, helping to raise more than £13,000.
'She's an inspiration'
"It's quite touching really. Everyone's been brilliant. They want to help and support me," she said.
Ms Lauder said her goal is to make as many memories as she can and she is hopeful that a cure for goblet cell carcinoma will be found in the future.
Her twin sister Trisha Chenoweth said: "She's just been an inspiration to everyone".
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