Daughter's legacy lives on as £100,000 raised to fund the fight against skin cancer - The Solihull Observer

Daughter's legacy lives on as £100,000 raised to fund the fight against skin cancer

Solihull Editorial 14th Apr, 2016 Updated: 21st Oct, 2016   0

THE TRAGIC death of Hayley Birch continues to inspire people to raise money to fight against the disease that stole her from her family.

Hayley, from Solihull, lost her brave battle against skin cancer in September 2009 when she was just 25-years-old.

Ever since she was diagnosed, air hostess Hayley had been fund-raising to raise awareness of the dangers of skin cancer.

She had even organised a charity ball and had gained celebrity support for it, but sadly she passed away just one week before it was held.




Heartbroken, but determined to carry on in Hayley’s name, her family and friends overcame their grief to make sure the ball went ahead.

And their brave efforts saw an astonishing £35,000 raised to help prevent other people from suffering the same fate as much-loved Hayley.


Now, seven years on, Hayley’s mum Penny continues to keep her ‘beautiful’ daughter’s legacy alive by fundraising to help beat the disease that claimed her life.

To date the family have raised over £100,000 for research into the Queen Elizabeth Hospital’s Fighting Skin Cancer UHB Charity Fund.

Speaking to The Observer she said: “I believe Hayley passed her strength and positivity on to me, which helps me to carry on fundraising and more importantly raising the awareness to other families of the possibility of melanoma.

“|With her love of life and friendship I know she would have continued to have organised such events as charity balls, fashion shows and things like the latest Zumba event

“I would like to thank all my friends including all Hayleys girlfriends for the support and love they have given me to unable me to arrange such events and to keep her legacy alive.

“Our latest zumba event will be another celebration of her short life and hopefully raise some more funds to aid research into Skin Cancer.”

The latest money-making mission is a charity zumba/dance which is taking place at Bardelo Health and Fitness in Solihull on Sunday, April 24.

The event takes place at 12noon, but anyone taking part is asked to arrive by 11.30am.

Tickets cost £10 and are available by calling: Penny on 07810550563 or Pris on 07857014301.

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