A grateful cancer survivor has proved a fundraising force to be reckoned with after handing over £5000 to the chemotherapy ward at Walsall Manor Hospital.

Tracey Astbury aged 51 vowed to help the ward following her January 2019 diagnosis. She is currently receiving chemotherapy after surgery removed the cancer.

Tracey, whose family is no stranger to fundraising after her daughter Charlotte did a skydive to raise funds for dementia, organised a Brave the Shave head shave as her first event.

“We were originally going to shave my head but my hair fell out due to my treatment so my good friend Lisa from my darts team offered to have her head shaved instead,” said Tracey.

Her hairdresser Stacey Whitehouse offered to cut her hair and then Tracey’s other friends Maxine Gayle Ebanks, Marie Mcdonald, Kim Gray and Gavin Lamb joined in to lose their locks at the Croft pub in Wednesbury.

And on Sunday 1 September June Perry from Momma’s Cafe in West Bromwich staged a Build a Burger relay challenge.

“Customers and my family raised £1410 between them and we had a real laugh” said Tracey.

“I just wanted to do something to thank the staff on the chemo ward because they’re so helpful.”

Walsall Healthcare’s fundraising manager Georgie Westley said: “We really appreciate Tracy’s fundraising efforts – particularly as she’s still having treatment yet is thinking of others.

Her donation will go towards purchasing some new high quality chairs for the Chemo room to enhance the experience of their patients.”