Spring is well and truly underway, and our fantastic fundraisers have been making the most of the longer days and sunnier weather! From coastal trails to ultramarathons to custom story books, the creativity and determination has been off the charts! Every single one of our fundraisers have gone above and beyond this month, and we cannot thank them enough for being a crucial part of #TeamVelindre.
Let’s take a look at what our extraordinary April fundraisers have been up to!
Mother and Son Duo Take on the Three Peaks Trial!
Theo has raised an outstanding £510, which will make a huge difference to patients, families and staff here at Velindre. We can’t thank Theo and Caroline enough for choosing to fundraise for Velindre, it truly means the world to us.
Charlotte and her Family Smash the Prague Half Marathon
Charlotte completed her Superhalf Series in Prague this month! She was joined by her mum, Moira, and her husband Paul, and she absolutely smashed it. Charlotte finished with an incredible time of 1 hour, 59 minutes, and 50 seconds – what an achievement!
Charlotte has raised £465 for Velindre, an amount that will make a huge difference at Velindre. We are so grateful for Charlotte’s fundraising, and we hope she is over the moon with her fantastic time! Congratulations on completing your Superhalf Series, Charlotte!
Blathnaid Completes the First of Five Running Challenges!
Blathnaid is taking on 5 running challenges in aid of Velindre, and this month she completed her first – a 10-mile coastal trail run!
Blathnaid has a very personal reason for fundraising for Velindre. In October 2024, she was diagnosed with lobular breast cancer and began receiving treatment with the services. She had nothing but lovely things to say about Velindre, which is so special to hear. She told how “incredibly lucky” she felt when being cared for by staff, praising how they were “so specialised, so experienced, and so kind throughout”.
It is so lovely to hear these kind words about the staff and services, and we are truly grateful to Blathnaid for choosing to fundraise for the charity. Good luck for your next challenge, Blathnaid!
Sonia’s Superhalf Series Finishes in Prague!
Just like Charlotte, Sonia completed her Superhalf Series at the Prague Half Marathon – and she had a fantastic time!
The weather was perfect, the city provided some gorgeous views along the way, and the support on the day was amazing. In Sonia’s words, “running across cobbled streets and tramlines was interesting”, and she would highly recommend the half marathon to anyone who enjoys running!
For Sonia, this was extra special, because it concluded her series of six half marathons (including Cardiff!). What an achievement!
We are so touched that Sonia choose to run in aid of Velindre – and we hope she’s happy with her huge medal! Well done, Sonia!
‘Laugh Out Loud’ Comedy Night is a Huge Success!
Danny hosted a ‘Laugh Out Loud’ comedy night this month.
The comedy night raised £750 – an amazing amount which will go towards improving the lives of patients and families at Velindre!
Danny’s fundraiser is proof that laughter truly can change lives. We can’t thank him enough for choosing to make a difference with #TeamVelindre!
Kevin’s Incredible 50km Ultra Marathon
Kevin, who is living with incurable advanced prostate cancer, is truly “redefin[ing] the image of what living with a terminal prognosis looks like”. We couldn’t agree more – Kevin’s achievement is phenomenal, and he truly is an inspiration to us all at Velindre.
Dylan’s Creative Fundraiser Raises Hundreds!
7-year-old Dylan Thacker has raised hundreds of pounds by creating and selling his very own story book!
When Dylan wrote and illustrated his very own Pokemon story, the family encouraged him to print copies and sell his work. But when mum Rhiannon asked what he would spend his funds on, his answer was truly heartwarming.
Dylan’s Uncle Stephen is currently going through treatment at Velindre for Neuroendocrine Cancer, and Dylan came up with the idea to use his book money to thank those who care for his uncle. So that’s exactly what the family did!
The fundraiser has been a huge success, and we are truly grateful for Dylan’s kindness and generosity – what a creative and special way to support his Uncle Stephen!
Thank you so much, Dylan!
I’m In! Afon Taf High School’s Victory for Velindre Skills Challenge!
Afon Taf High School took on the Victory for Velindre Skills Challenge by hosting their very own Dragon’s Den! Lisa Miller, Head of Patient Engagement, and Sarah Haberfield, Widening Horizons Coordinator, attended the panel.
The Victory for Velindre Skills Challenge encourages students to create and develop a concept or product that will positively impact the services through fundraising. The students rose to the challenge, developing their own fundraising event concepts and presenting the ideas to a panel.
Mrs Sullivan from Afon Taf told us the challenge has really engaged the pupils’ empathy. Having Velindre staff on the panel really showed students “how valuable their ideas are… having people who fully understand how the funds will help at the hospital further enhances the real-life value that this challenge has”.
Lisa Miller told us she was “completely overwhelmed” by the pupils’ efforts and their “strong connection with Velindre”.
A huge well done to all the students that took part – and we look forward to hearing more about your fantastic fundraising ideas!
David’s Skydive in Memory of His Father-In-Law
David’s father-in-law, Gerald, received “excellent care” at Velindre when he was a patient, and “always spoke so highly of everyone there”. Sadly, Gerald passed away in 2025.
To honour his memory, David decided to fundraise for Velindre – and chose to take on a skydive! Well done, David – what an amazing achievement!
We’d like to thank David for his fundraising efforts – and we were so touched to hear that Gerald spoke so highly of the staff and services. The money raised by David will allow us to continue making a difference in the lives of patients and families here.
Anne’s Bake Off Ahead of the London Marathon!
Anne is one of our incredible London Marathon runners who completed the 26.2 miles this month. To raise funds, she hosted a bake sale at work which raised over £1,000!
Raising funds for Velindre is so personal to Anne. 15 years ago, her mother received treatment at Velindre for breast cancer, which she overcame. Unfortunately, in 2022, Anne’s mum was diagnosed with advanced Stage 4 breast cancer, and Anne became a carer once again.
Anne expressed how grateful she was to Velindre during this difficult time: “I have seen first-hand how Velindre do absolutely everything in their power to care, treat and comfort their patients”. Thankfully, due to Velindre’s efforts and her mum’s incredible strength, Anne’s mum is now receptive to treatment.
Anne told us “I am eternally grateful to be afforded more time with my mum, whom I consider nothing short of a best friend”.
We cannot thank Anne enough for her incredible fundraising efforts – and for completing the marathon in aid of Velindre! Congratulations Anne – we wish your mum all the best during her treatment!
John’s Marathon to Say Thank You!
Jaci was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2020 and received treatment at Velindre for three years. Fortunately, Jaci overcame her experience with cancer, and her determination and strength inspired John to raise funds through running his marathon.
Kayleigh’s Half Marathon in Memory of Her Stepdad
Kayleigh, along with her two friends Hayley and Lizzie, took on the Newport Half Marathon this month. She had 3 lovely cheerleaders in her children Mila and Lake, as well as her baby niece Ayla, who waved hand-made posters and gave out sweets to passing runners! Kayleigh completed the run in 2hrs 37mins – what an amazing achievement!
This meant so much to Kayleigh, as she has a personal connection to Velindre. A few years ago, her stepdad Alec was diagnosed with terminal throat cancer and given approximately 12 months. Seeing Alec be so brave whilst in so much pain inspired Kayleigh to sign up for the Newport 10k. Although she was suffering from a knee injury, on the morning of the race Kayleigh spoke with Alec on the phone to remind herself of her motivation for running – and completed the challenge with Alec’s strength to spur her on.
Determined to do Alec proud, Kayleigh promised him she would train for the Newport Half Marathon to raise money for Velindre. Sadly, not long after, Alec passed away.
Kayleigh continued her training in Alec’s honour, and each time she struggled, she reminded herself of his bravery and strength throughout his treatment. Alec’s memory inspired her to dig deep and keep going. She told us: “he was my strength to not give up”.
Kayleigh has been overwhelmed by “the support of our family and friends” and has raised an incredible £1,100!
We are blown away by Kayleigh’s generosity to Velindre and her tribute to her stepdad. We are sure he would be so proud of everything she has achieved.
Fashion Show to Support Velindre!
Amy arranged a fashion show in support of Velindre with 120 attendees plus 8 models. They were joined by Dr Richard Adams who spoke on behalf of Velindre.
For Amy and her family, the last 6 months have been very challenging. Amy’s mother, mother-in-law, and sister-in-law were all diagnosed with a cancer within the same week last September. Thankfully her mother’s diagnosis wasn’t deemed severe and the family sought out private treatment. Amy’s sister-in-law was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer and is currently receiving treatment. Unfortunately, her mother-in-law was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer and sadly passed away on Christmas Eve. Amy’s cousin was also diagnosed with mouth cancer in December and is currently receiving treatment.
So, when the opportunity arose to arrange this fundraising event, Amy knew there was only one charity she would like to do this for. The fashion show was a huge success, and a really lovely way to not only honour her mother-in-law but make a difference in the care received by her sister-in-law and cousin also. Amy told us: “my sister-in-law and now cousin continue to benefit directly from the services provided by the hospital, and we are truly grateful”. Thank you so much Amy for your kindness and generosity at such a difficult time.
Velindre Inspires A PB For Chris!
When Chris signed up for the Newport Marathon, he wasn’t attached to a charity. Unfortunately, soon after, a friend received some bad news and began treatment at Velindre. Velindre had also treated Chris’s father for prostate cancer, of which he is a survivor. Chris decided he wanted to help and began raising money.
The amount of people who donated has “truly humbled” Chris and inspired him to push for a PB – which he achieved!
Chris explained: “The work Velindre do is invaluable and keeps families together, or at least made comfortable when the worse is expected”. The money Chris raised will allow this work to continue and improve the lives of cancer patients and families here at Velindre. Thank you for your efforts, Chris!
Elin Runs the Manchester Marathon in Memory of Her Grandfather!
This month, Elin took on the Manchester Marathon in aid of Velindre. Elin’s grandfather received “incredible” end-of-life care at Velindre during his battle with throat cancer, and so “Velindre holds a very special place in [Elin’s] heart”.
She praised how the staff and services not only supported her grandfather, but cared for her entire family through one of the most difficult times in their lives.
She said of her experience: “Running this marathon was my way of giving back to such an amazing charity, in recognition of the compassion, care, and vital support they provide to so many families facing similar situations”. Thank you Elin for your amazing efforts, we know your grandfather would be incredibly proud!
Tom Raises £5,000 At Annual Ball!
Tom himself was motivated by a personal connection to Velindre, thanking the staff and services for the care they provided to his father, Jeff, when he beat prostate cancer. Sadly, Jeff is now currently battling with aggressive cancer in his colon and liver. Tom told us that although Jeff isn’t “physically fit enough to be under [Velindre’s] care… knowing the level of support you provide gives me personally such appreciation for your team”.
Connor Takes on Vale 50km Ultra Marathon for His Dad!
Two years ago, Connor’s dad was diagnosed with stage 4 malignant melanoma. It was right after Connor’s son, his dad’s first grandchild, was born and unfortunately the outcome wasn’t looking good. Connor’s dad decided to take “a leap of faith” with a clinical drug trial and was put on immunotherapy immediately.
Seeing his dad “take on his battle for his life head on… all with a smile on his face” was inspirational beyond words to Connor. He decided to take on the Vale 50km Ultramarathon, and although the race was “very tough”, Connor was able to take in the stunning coastal views and power through to the finish.
His pride for his father motivated him the whole race, as the Thursday before the ultramarathon, Connor’s dad finally rang the bell and his latest scans show “no more active cancer cells!”.
We are absolutely delighted for Connor’s family, and we wish his dad all the best for the future. Huge thank you to Connor for his fundraising efforts!
Shona’s Seville Marathon for a Chemotherapy Chair
In February, Shona took on her longest run ever: the Seville Marathon. But she didn’t stop there – this month, she took on the Newport Half Marathon!
Shona’s mission is a very personal one. Both her partner Phil and her grandad David received treatment for bowel cancer at Velindre, and during their chemotherapy, they spoke very highly of the reclining chemotherapy chairs. They always told her “I hope I get a chair today”, a sentence that stuck with her, and inspired her to make a difference.
Shona is so passionate about reaching her target. She told us: “My goal is to raise enough to fund one [chair] – a small act that could bring comfort to hundreds, if not thousands of people over the years who will sit in the same chair. If this can make someone’s chemo journey even 1% easier, it will be worth every step”.
Thank you so much Shona for your kindness and consideration for our patients. Congratulations on your incredible fundraising achievements!
6 World Majors Completed by Darren!
Darren completed the 6 World Majors by finishing the Boston Marathon in a fantastic 03:38:27.
He said of his experience: “It was a great day at Boston, conditions were perfect for running and the crowd support was amazing. It wasn’t my fastest time but I’m really pleased to get it done”.
What an achievement – we can’t thank Darren enough for his incredible efforts!
Surprise Newport Half Marathon!
Cameron, his brother and girlfriend all took on the Newport Half Marathon together in an astonishing 1 hour and 55 minutes!
Cameron was surprised by the others as he didn’t know they had entered – and the three of them stuck together and finished as a team! Velindre means a lot to the family, and so to be able to do this together was really special to them.
We’d like to congratulate all three of them – thank you so much for your efforts!
What an incredible month – an enormous amount of creativity, determination, training, and fundraising!
April has really highlighted just how creative and motivated our fundraisers truly are! With such a wide range of events and ideas, it’s clear that being able to fundraise in your own way is so important to our supporters. They do an incredible job of keeping Velindre at the heart of every step, show, or event.
We are so honoured to be at the centre of such kindness and commitment – your activities, events, and ideas truly inspire us every day. Thank you for being part of #TeamVelindre. Bring on next month!
