Celebrating Sandra Francis
Last month saw our long-term supporter and fundraiser, Sandra Francis, organise her last event for Pancreatic Cancer Action (for now), after 10 fruitful years of raising awareness and funds for our charity!
In May, one of our long-term supporters has taken a well-deserved step back from organising fundraising events for Pancreatic Cancer Action in style by raising a whooping £2000+ for us! Sandra Francis has been raising awareness and fundraising for the charity for a decade and bowed out with her last organised fundraising event (for now) at the Evesham Community Summer Fete. This recent event has taken the total Sandra has raised for the charity to the £30,000 figure!
Sandra first came to Pancreatic Cancer Action when her late husband, Pete, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in December 2011. Sandra came across our website when Googling the symptoms and contacted both for support. This was when she first spoke to our Founder and CEO, Ali Stunt, who offered help and advice. Pete lived with his cancer for a year, with Ali providing support when required and the charity sending Sandra flowers. It was this personal touch that helped create a great relationship.
In 2014, Sandra joined the Maggie Watts campaign to gain 100,000 signatures to get the government to consider more funding for pancreatic cancer. This campaign included spending hours messaging celebrities and groups on Facebook to encourage people to sign, with the campaign ending up in parliament! It was here that Sandra first caught the Pancreatic Cancer Action awareness bug!
The first event Sandra held was a coffee morning at her home on what would have been Pete’s 71st birthday in 2013. This raised an astounding £2000 profit, giving her the taste of raising funds whilst having fun. Over the years, Sandra has held a screening of Dirty Dancing, held an afternoon tea, sold our branded bears, and attended festivals & markets to raise awareness: She got festive by selling reindeer food, hosting stands and getting a local Christmas Tree seller to have a collection box: Supported other fundraisers, including her daughter-in-law who ran the London Marathon in 2018, and many, many more!
As well as raising money herself, Sandra has influenced and inspired those around her to make a difference!
On Sandra announcing that she was going to step a well-earned step back from organising fundraising events, Pancreatic Cancer Action Founder & CEO Ali Stunt said:
"Thank you so much for all that you have done for us, not only for the huge amount of money you have raised over the past 10-years (I can't believe it's been 10-years!) but for being a loyal supporter of Pancreatic Cancer Action. It means a lot to me personally."
Thank you from the whole of the Pancreatic Cancer Action team to Sandra and her family, son Tim, daughter Ruth, their partners, her grandchildren, Alice, Erin, Thomas, William and Jack, and everyone who has helped Sandra deliver some cracking events and raise great amounts for our charity! Although Sandra will be taking a break from organising events, she will still very much be part of the Pancreatic Cancer Action family and continue to raise awareness of this horrible disease!
If you’ve been inspired to Take Action by Sandra, and you want to fundraise, raise awareness, or download a resource pack for your GP or Pharmacist, click here.