Young Thatcham cancer patient's appeal well underway

Earlier this year, Amy Graham was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 25. But she didn’t let it get her down and set about raising funds for Cancer Research and awareness for young people with cancer.
Her fiancé, Jon Chard, said: “It’s been a very difficult few months and it’s the worst news you could hear. We’re getting married in September next year and the wedding is something to look forward to.
“Amy is absolutley brilliant. It was her idea to make the best of a bad situation. The lump was caught early enough to do something positive. It’s me that’s been the blubbering mess.”
Mr Chard, who plays for Thatcham Tornadoes Football Club, set about supporting his bride-to-be by organising a team charity headshave for Miss Graham’s cause and raised £1,500 in donations within the first 24 hours.
Team members will be heading to The Hilton Newbury for a charity headshave to raise further funds and awareness on Saturday, November 15. The appeal has currently raised £3,189 of the £5,000 target for Cancer Research but Mr Chard said he was hoping to exceed this target following the headshave and auction.
“Even in such frightful circumstances, Amy has remained positive and was persistent in raising awareness of cancer in young people,” he said.
“As a team, to support Amy, we thought what better way to raise awareness than shaving our heads. We will be the meanest looking team in Sunday League Football.”
Miss Graham’s target of £5,000 was further helped by a friend of the couple, Jamie Hines, who auctioned a signed football shirt.
Mr Hines, the director of H and H Taxis, said that he had bought the Southampton FC shirt, signed by the 1995 team, at a charity auction at Newbury Town Football Club earlier this year but decided to auction the shirt again to make more money for charity after hearing about Miss Graham’s appeal.
The shirt sold for £350 and was bought by Carl Bastin and William Greenhall, who runs Greenhall’s Barbers in Thatcham Broadway.
Mr Chard said that the shirt auction had been a great help towards their fundraising target and was extremely grateful.
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