£10,000 raised in memory of beloved dad, husband and YMCA Fylde Coast worker who died of a rare cancer

Mike Vernon, who worked for YMCA Fylde Coast and YMCA England, died from a rare form of cancer aged 54.

His loving family and friends raised the incredible sum of money at a recent celebration of his life at The Hand and Dagger pub in Treales.

Mike’s widow, Brenda, said: “It was a bitter sweet event.

“It was something we wanted to do because at the time of Mike’s funeral, we were limited on the number of people able to attend and there were so many more who wanted to pay their

respects.

“Mike was someone who would always go out of his way to help and give back. He had a very strong social conscience.”

The money will be shared between St Catherine’s Hospice, where Mike spent some time last December, Rosemere Cancer Foundation, Macmillan and Marie Curie.

Mike, from Treales, near Kirkham, died in March after being diagnosed with anal cancer two and a half years earlier.

He had undergone surgery, chemotherapy and immunotherapy at Rosemere Cancer Centre, Lancashire and South Cumbria’s regional specialist cancer treatment and radiotherapy centre

at the Royal Preston Hospital.

Brenda added: “The team at Rosemere was excellent and did everything it could for Mike.

“Mike himself was incredibly fit. He continued cycling when quite poorly but had been a sportsman all of his life playing rugby and basketball. He had also done martial arts.

“It shows that if cancer can happen to Mike, it can happen to anyone.”

Brenda, business manager for Issa Medical Group, Preston, organised the celebration of Mike’s life, and said the amount of money raised was ‘phenomenal’.

Among those there were Mike’s stepsons Oliver, 30, and William, 28, and his children with Brenda, who he married in 2013, Joe, 18, and Ruby, 14.

Colleagues from YMCA England and YMCA Fylde Coast, the charity for which fitness fanatic Mike worked in community sport and leisure, were also guests, with a group of them forming

the band Trident to provide the evening’s live music, having previously played at Mike and Brenda’s wedding and Mike’s 50th birthday party.

Brenda said: “The amount of money raised from the evening, its tombola, auction, a golf day arranged by friends and a recent afternoon tea I did is just phenomenal.

“Guests gave so graciously. I am so thankful to everyone.”

For further information on the work of Rosemere Cancer Foundation, including how to make a donation, visit www.rosemere.org.uk

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