HEAVY metal legend Tony Iommi hosted a special fundraising lunch to raise money for Solihull Hospital’s new cancer unit.
The lunch saw 150 guests treated to a three course meal, followed by a talk between Tony and journalist Gary Newbon about Tony’s life and career with Black Sabbath.
The event manged to raise over £24,000.
Solihull and Heartlands Hospital Charities launched an appeal to raise £150,000 for the cancer centre at Solihull Hospital on Lode Lane.
The afternoon was completed with a raffle, where signed Black Sabbath merchandise was up for grabs.
The centre will be an extension of Heartlands Hospital’s Ward 19, and will provide chemotherapy day care to low-risk patients across the West Midlands.
This will help to take the pressure off Ward 19, whilst providing a calm and relaxing environment for patients.
Mr Iommi recently became patron of Ward 19, and was keen to support the hospital charity after his friend and Black Sabbath band member Geoff Nicholls was treated at Heartlands Hospital.
Speaking after the fundraising lunch, Mr Iommi said: “I am delighted that we managed to raise over £24,000 at the lunch.
“It was a fantastic afternoon and the money raised will help to improve cancer services across the West Midlands.
“I am very proud to be Patron of Ward 19 and I look forward to seeing the new cancer centre when it opens.”
Justine Davy, head of fundraising for the hospital charity said: “The Charity is incredibly grateful to Tony for his fantastic support. “The lunch was a great success and it was wonderful to hear so many interesting stories about Tony’s life and career whilst raising money to support patients with cancer across the West Midlands.
“The money that has been raised will help the charity to reach the goal of raising £150,000 to support the new cancer centre at Solihull Hospital.
“The centre will be a state of the art facility, with up to 31 new chemotherapy spaces, increasing the number of patients that can be seen up 170 per cent.”
To find out more about the new cancer centre to Solihull Hospital, visit hospitalcharity.org/cancercentre.
For more information about the charity go to www.solihullhospital.org.uk or call 0121 371 4852.
