Fundraisers remember brave cancer victim Laura

The Cooper and Nettleship families gather to thank the Blue Stoops for raising £2000 in memory of Laura. Included are her parents, husband, children and sister.

The Blue Stoops pub in Walton held a fundraising event to aid the charity after Laura Nettleship died aged just 29.

Laura, who received care at the hospice, braveley battled breast cancer while raising two young sons.

Donations are still coming in but the event – which included an auction, a raffle and music from singer Laura Ashby – has so far raised about £2,000 for the charity.

It was attended by many of Laura’s loved ones and proved a great success.

Her dad, Alan Cooper, of Walton, said: “It was a brilliant day – it couldn’t have gone any better.

“It was the perfect chance for everyone to come together to remember Laura while raising money for Ashgate Hospice.

“I’d like to thank everyone who was involved in organising the fundraiser and everyone who attended and donated.”

Laura, who passed away at the hospice last July, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2010 and had a mastectomy followed by reconstructive surgery in 2012.

She thought she was recovering but then found out the cancer had spread to her liver and was given just three to five weeks to live.

But courageous Laura, a former Parkside Community School pupil, kept fighting the illness and married long-term partner, Matt, in December 2012.

Mr Cooper said: “She was all about her family – she absolutely loved being with her boys.

“She was such a lovely girl and is very sadly missed.”

He added that friends and family will be planning more fundraising events in the future. For more information about Ashgate Hospice, visit www.ashgatehospice.org

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