Masquerade ball in Thatcham pays tribute to devoted husband who died after battle with rare form of cancer
A masquerade ball was held in Thatcham at the weekend in tribute of a man who died after a four-year battle with cancer.
More than 100 people turned out in their best masks and dress at the Mercure Newbury West Grange Hotel, on the A4, on Saturday evening (June 7) to raise money for research into sarcoma.
Fifteen people are diagnosed with this rare type of cancer every day in the UK that can appear anywhere in the body, usually in the form of lumps that grow or change.
Matthew Congerton, from Thatcham, died of the disease at the age of 51 in October 2023.
His friends and family have since raised nearly £10,000 for Sarcoma UK, the national bone and soft tissue cancer charity.
His widow Jo Congerton explained how the idea for the ball started.
She said: “We were all feeling a little bit sad and wanted to do something positive.
“Sarcoma is just not well-known cancer. We hadn't even heard of it until my husband was diagnosed.
“But since Matthew’s diagnosis, and his passing, everybody here knows about sarcoma. And that's what it's all about.
“It's not only raising money. It's about raising awareness of this awful disease.”
She continued: “My husband was such a positive chap. It was an inconvenience to him, having cancer.
“But he never let it get in his way. He just carried on with his life.
“And we feel that we've got to go on as well and raise as much money as we can.”
She added they hope to host the event again every two years. The next event will be 80s themed.
Speaking at the event, mayor of Thatcham Petra Pemberton added: “It’s a lovely event and I've already put my name down and bid for one of the silent auctions.
“It's really good to be able to just promote it. It's such a good cause.”
There are more than 100 different types of sarcoma.
Visit https://shorturl.at/OWlzY to read more about the disease.
Symptoms can include lumps, swelling, tenderness or pain in the bones, stomach pain, sickness, a loss of appetite and blood in vomit or stools.
