Highlights & news

Steve Sullivan, one of Velindre Cancer Charity’s longest-standing supporters, celebrates an incredible milestone this year—30 years of supporting Velindre Cancer Charity!

Steve’s journey with Velindre began when his good friend Andrew, nicknamed Mega, sadly passed away from cancer in his early 20s after being treated here at the centre.

A particular memory that sticks out for Steve during Andrew’s treatment was when Andrew was admitted to Velindre over Christmas. On Boxing Day, Steve, along with Andrew’s other tight-knit group of friends, decided to pay him a visit. To the surprise of the staff at the centre, a huge group of Andrew’s friends turned up in the car park.

The staff at Velindre, knowing this was an important moment for Andrew and his friends, somehow managed to squeeze them all onto the ward. A kind gesture that may not have been possible in other hospitals, it served to highlight the compassion that defines Velindre and its staff.

Steve speaks not only about how happy Andrew was to see his friends, but also remembers the positive reactions from the nurses who were looking after him:

“They weren’t just nurses, they were living the journey with their patients. I knew we wanted to raise money in Andrew’s name, but Velindre was the obvious choice after that experience.”

Reflecting on the atmosphere and the ethos of the staff at Velindre, Steve said:

“When you talk to anybody at Velindre, whether it’s the surgeons, the cleaners, the catering staff, or the nurses, the enthusiasm for what they’re doing is both inspiring and contagious, everyone believes in the ethos of what they’re trying to achieve and are so passionate about caring for people with cancer. It’s simply people looking after people.”

Andrew was someone who was always thinking of other people and wanted something positive to come out of his situation. During his cancer journey, he agreed with his friends that they would try and raise money for charity in his name.

Steve, who had been in a band with Andrew when they were teenagers, wanted to carry out Andrew’s wish and had the idea to reform their band to fundraise. Steve and Andrew’s other friends organised a charity music event at Caerphilly Rugby Club in September 1995 where some local bands agreed to play. Although Steve and the group anticipated a turnout of no more than a hundred people, they were shocked and delighted when close to 500 people attended.

After the incredible turnout, Steve, along with friends Paul Grahame and Mike Prew, decided to run the event every year in Andrew’s memory, calling it Megaday after Andrew’s nickname. Soon, Megaday grew from a small indoor tribute gig to a big outdoor charity event, which now attracts an audience of 2,000 people and features 10 to 12 bands every year. Megaday has even caught the attention of bands like Stereophonics, Manic Street Preachers, and Goldie Lookin’ Chain and each band has supported the event in different ways.

In 2001, Paul Grahame, one of Megaday’s organisers, also tragically lost his battle with cancer after being treated at Velindre, which reinforced Steve’s mission to continue fundraising in memory of his friends.

After two decades of organising Megaday, Steve retired 10 years ago, handing the reins over to a new team, who continue to keep its legacy going.

Steve’s retirement from Megaday wasn’t the end of his fundraising. Many of Velindre’s supporters will know Steve as the driving force behind our iconic Castle 2 Castle run. Founded by Steve in 2014, the fun run, which has now grown into one of our flagship events, celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2024. This year, we’ve seen the highest number of registrants ever, with over 1500 people signing up to take part—a true testament to the countless hours and energy, Steve dedicates each year to helping deliver the run.

Talking about what’s kept him motivated to fundraise over the last 30 years, Steve said:

“It’s such a rewarding thing just knowing that you’re helping other people. You know that you’re potentially saving someone’s life. You’re giving someone a chance. You’re helping somebody who is in the worst times of their lives, and you’ve made it a little bit more comfortable for them. I really like knowing that I’m part of that.”

Fundraising has also had a huge impact on Steve’s life and he said:

“I’ve made so many friends and had so many experiences through fundraising. It’s made me develop and grow as a person.”

Steve’s whole family are behind his fundraising mission and he’s relied on the dedicated support of his wife, Sam, and his father, Trevor, who was also heavily involved in the events.

Three decades of commitment is no small feat and Steve’s support is a shining example of the generosity and heart that powers Velindre. Fundraising is now a way of life for Steve and his incredible efforts over the last 30 years have raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for Velindre—a life-changing amount of money that continues to make a lasting and tangible impact on Velindre’s patients, carers, families and our entire community.

Steve said about his 30-year milestone:

“30 years on, it’s about keeping Andrew and Paul’s legacies going. They were great people. If you can keep someone’s legacy going whilst helping other people along the way, what better thing is there to do?”