Sheffield friends set for year-long fundraiser for Weston Park Cancer Charity in memory of parents

Two best friends from Sheffield, who have each lost a parent to cancer, are launching a year-long fundraising campaign to help others touched by the devastating disease.

For Hannah Spencer and Emma Henning, 2024 marks a year of challenges, fun and celebrations as they each mark their birthday milestones with a series of events in aid of Weston Park Cancer Charity.

As Hannah marks her 40th birthday, and Emma marks her 50th, the former Sheffield neighbours felt it was only right to dedicate the year to commemorating their parents and to give back to a charity that has helps so many people each year.

Emma lost her mother Beryl at age 68 in April 2017 after an 18-month battle with brain cancer. She had received treatment at Weston Park before passing away at Northern General Hospital. 

The mother-of-three, who lives in Stannington, said: “The nurses and everyone at Weston Park were so good to her. It's almost like a different level of care, they are just so kind, it's unreal.

“She was very well liked was my mum. She was the nicest woman you’d ever met until you upset her, and then she’d give you the look, and it withered you - apparently I’m mastering it now. 

“She still had a really good quality of life. It was only the last sort of couple of months where she became a bit of a different person and it wasn't much of a life. It was horrible, it did change her personality a little bit with it being a brain tumour.”

Emma’s dad, Brian, who lives in Sheffield, has since raised money for Weston Park in Beryl’s memory.

The pair has set up a Facebook page called 'Hamma 40/50' to document all of 2024’s action-packed events, as well as a JustGiving page with a goal of £4050. All events are being financed by those taking part, and all sponsorship is going straight to charity.

The public are encouraged to make donations to their page, and join in on the year’s events. This includes a spa retreat in February, a night out in Sheffield in May, a family-friendly camping trip in July with 18 plots available, a sponsored walk in August up Win Hill in the Peak District, and a murder mystery-themed evening at a hotel in October.

Adrenaline junkies are also invited to join a sponsored skydive from 15,000ft in June, where the duo will be joined by their husbands Chris Toyn and Rudi Henning. All details on upcoming events will be posted on their Facebook page.

Hannah, who now lives in Holmfirth, sadly lost her father Tony to cancer 10 years ago. The mum-of-two and a childminder, said: “I think everyone would agree that our parents are the heartbeat of who we are. No matter what our upbringing is, you love your parents. 

“To watch them go from being a strong, healthy individual, that you look to protect you and admire, to slowly changing and being taken over, it’s absolutely horrendous. 

“It’s a parasite - cancer completely just eats away at who they are. It eats away their mental well being, their physical capacity. For my dad, before he passed away, he was no longer my dad in every single way imaginable. It completely took over who he was and destroyed him."

She added: “When I think of my dad, I think of Sheffield. And then when I think of cancer, I think of what could have supported him if he had still lived in Sheffield. 

“Weston Park is amazing with all the support they can offer. I don’t think the individuals that work there get the credit they deserve - it takes a very special person to do everything they do.”

To donate to the JustGiving page, please click here. To keep up to date on Hannah and Emma's 2024 mission, follow their page on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100087233335044