Long Lee woman's birthday bash to support Oxenhope hospice (From Keighley News)

Long Lee woman's birthday bash to support Oxenhope hospice

7:00pm Wednesday 13th March 2013 in News By Alistair Shand

A woman who beat stomach cancer two decades ago has marked a third milestone birthday with a charity fundraiser.

Beauty therapist Toni Hadcroft, from Long Lee, celebrated her 40th and 50th birthdays with events to boost good causes.

And the dancing enthusiast saw in the big ‘6-0’ on Friday with a night of salsa, Argentinian tango and ballroom dance at the Sunnybank Social Club in Silsden.

The hundred-or-so people who attended were invited to give donations in lieu of presents, and about £645 was raised for Manorlands, the Oxenhope Sue Ryder hospice. She hopes with some money still to come in, the final figure could be nearer £700.

Toni has devoted the latest event to the memory of close friend Jean Hayes, who died from cancer 18 month ago.

“When I’d had cancer, I decided to do something to raise money on each of my ‘big’ birthdays,” she said. “Over the years, I’ve probably raised about £2,500 for different causes.

“Dancing is my passion and Friday was just a wonderful night.

“I’d like to thank everyone who came along and helped make it such a memorable time.

“To cap off a fantastic weekend, I took part in a Medallist of the Year ballroom dance competition at Newton Aycliffe on Sunday and came third.”

Toni, who works from premises in Cavendish Street, Keighley, said she’d suffered another health scare last year.

“They discovered a couple of aneurysms but, fortunately, treatment was successful – they were caught early before they burst,” she said.

An aneurysm is a bulge in a blood vessel caused by a weakness in the vessel wall.

“I made a complete recovery from my cancer in 1992 and I was very lucky last year – I’m very thankful for that,” she added.