A Dudley woman who has battled breast cancer three times and is now living with stage four brain cancer, is turning her own experience of treatment into a fundraising mission for the hospital charities that have supported her.
Kirsty Priest has raised more than £10,000 for The Dudley Group NHS Charity, with her fundraising supporting the St Agatha Trust fund, which helps provide additional support for the breast suite at Russells Hall Hospital.
Kirsty is now continuing her fundraising after being diagnosed with stage four brain cancer this year, following the removal of a plum-sized tumour from her head.
When Kirsty was asked what she would like to do following her latest diagnosis, she said she wanted to raise money and awareness for the two hospital charities that have supported her throughout her cancer journey - The Dudley Group NHS Charity and Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham Charity.
Her friends have now come together to help make that wish a reality, with a group of DJs organising ‘Grooving with Kirsty’, a fundraising night at The Fox Inn, Stourton, on Friday 16 October.
Kirsty’s friend Dee Wood approached fellow DJs about putting on an event to raise awareness of the two charities, and the response was immediate.
The event will feature an evening of Soulful, Disco and Funky House music, with performances from Dee Wood, Luke Hines, Paul Foster, Lee Clarke, Mr Trim, Carl Ackerman, Mark Hughes, Cedric Anderson and Lee Wright.
All proceeds from entry tickets will be split between Kirsty’s two chosen charities.
Kirsty has also been raising money in her own way by selling jigsaw puzzles from the charity hub in the main entrance of Russells Hall Hospital.
Kirsty said: "I wanted to do something positive and give back to the charities that have supported me. Raising money for the St Agatha Trust and the QE Brain Tumour Fund means a lot to me, and I'm so grateful to everyone who has supported me and continues to support these causes."
Dee Wood, Kirsty’s friend and one of the organisers of Grooving with Kirsty, said,
"When we asked our friends at The Fox Inn Stourton if they would support the event, they said yes, and from there Grooving with Kirsty became a reality. Kirsty has been incredibly determined to raise money for the two charities that have supported her, and we wanted to help make that happen."
The event has already attracted hundreds of people, with tickets still available.
People are encouraged to buy tickets in advance to avoid disappointment on the night.
Tickets: Skiddle – Grooving with Kirsty
For those unable to attend but who would still like to support Kirsty’s fundraising, donations can be made through the Grooving with Kirsty JustGiving page.