A woman from Darwen has helped raise around £45,000 for charity in memory of her brother, who died after a failed stem cell transplant to treat his leukaemia.

Rebecca Turner, from Darwen, has helped raise money for Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s Blue Skies charity since her brother Tom Maudsley died, in 2020.

She is now hoping to surpass the £50,000 mark by raffling off prizes.

Tom, who died aged 29, had been battling leukaemia since 2019. He went into remission and went to Manchester Hospital for a stem cell transplant that would stop the cancer from returning.

 

Lancashire Telegraph: Rebecca Turner and Tom Maudsley Rebecca Turner and Tom Maudsley (Image: Rebecca Turner)Sadly, he died three months after receiving the transplant due to his body rejecting it.

Rebecca said Tom wanted to raise funds for Blackpool Hospital ever since he started chemotherapy treatment there.

She said: “Tom asked about the charity when he was in hospital. When he was in the room it was painted nicely. He asked how they got the fundraising for that.”

The money raised so far has “completely changed” the Haematology Ward at Blackpool Hospital where Tom was treated for leukaemia, according to Rebecca.

Some rooms have been decorated with uplifting murals and more pumps, which allow chemotherapy to be administered at home, have been purchased.

Rebecca said: “People raise money for good causes all the time but you never really hear about where the money goes.

“Blue Skies has been good at making sure the money we raise goes directly to the ward Tom was on. They keep in touch with us and let us know where our money is spent.

“A woman has reached out and said her husband is currently in a room we have helped to paint through donations.

“Nurses say we have helped change their jobs and say it’s a much nicer place to work now.

“It’s nice to see massive changes have taken place because of us.

“I don’t think Tom would have believed how much money we have raised. Before his diagnosis, we never had a reason to raise money or a charity connection.”

Rebecca is now asking for raffle prize donations to reach her £50,000 goal.

She is also accepting monetary donations via her JustGiving page.

The money will be put towards other pumps and other machines that will improve patients’ lives.

In the past, raffle prizes have included spa breaks, bath sets, and concert tickets.

Anyone who wishes to donate a raffle prize can contact Rebecca at: fredandpearlgifts@hotmail.com.