Houghton Regis mum with incurable illness wants to help families

A mum from Houghton Regis, who has incurable cancer, is raising funds to help give other cancer patients the chance to spend some quality time with their families.
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Claire Scanlon, 35, was diagnosed with primary breast cancer in April 2017, which then moved to her lymph nodes in the armpit. She then had to have a lumpectomy operation and all her lymph nodes were taken out.

After having four rounds of chemotherapy, Claire had her general MRI scan and a CT scan which indicated that the cancer had spread into her bones.

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In November of that year, Claire found out that she also had three brain tumours.

Claire and her daughter Lilly-MayClaire and her daughter Lilly-May
Claire and her daughter Lilly-May

She then underwent gamma knife radiotherapy surgery.

Despite her diagnosis, Claire, a mother of six, is organising an event to raise money to buy vouchers for days out to give to cancer patients at the Luton and Dunstable Hospital, so they can spend quality time with their families.

The fund-raising event, Braving The Shave, is on Saturday, October 12, from 6.30pm at the Dunstablians Rugby Club. Claire’s ten-year-old daughter, Lilly-May, will be shaving off her hair to raise money during the evening.

Claire’s sister, Sam Tansley, said: “My sister is stronger than all of us, despite what she is going through she still wants to help others.

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“The way she sees it is that she has terminal cancer and there is nothing she can do about it, but she can help others.

“Claire and Lilly will go to the hospital and hand out hampers to patients that are getting treatment for cancer.

“In the hampers there will be vouchers for days out. The money from the fundraiser will be used to buy the vouchers.

“There will be lots going on at the fundraiser and the main event will be my niece shaving off her hair, she has beautiful, blonde hair that is down to her bum.

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“She will be shaving it off and donating it to charity, the company are donating money to the fundraiser for her hair.”

To enter the fundraiser guests will need to give a donation on the door, there will be a raffle, face painting, disco, tombola, games and a kids got talent show.

Claire, who married her husband Craig in May, has now found out that the cancer is incurable and is currently on chemotherapy tablets to control the disease.

Sam added: “Clare is amazing and she has been so strong through all of this and she wants to give something back to other people who have cancer and going through treatment at the Luton and Dunstable Hospital.

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“Lilly-May is doing an amazing thing cutting off her hair to raise money to try and help others.

“She has seen her mum go through everything and has stayed strong and just wants to help others who are in the same situation.”

To make a donation to Lilly-May’s fundraising page, visit: www.gofundme.com/f/Lillysevent.

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