Charity event spotlighting the reality for people with cancer raises whopping £3,000 for worthy Northampton cause
A charity event, with the aim of spotlighting the reality for people with cancer, has raised a whopping £3,000 for a worthy Northampton cause.
Runway of Resilience was organised by 57-year-old Hayley Brand on July 12 and the £3,098.78 total will make a world of difference to recipient The Lewis Foundation.
The well-renowned Northampton charity, founded by Lorraine and Lee Lewis a decade ago, delivers more than 2,000 free gift packs to adult cancer patients receiving treatment at 17 hospitals across the Midlands every month.
Runway of Resilience saw 13 individuals, aged between 10 and 67, walk down a catwalk holding a card with words on to describe their journey with cancer. All 13 either live with cancer, are undergoing treatment, are in remission or are fully recovered.
Hayley held this event because of her own experience, having first been diagnosed with breast cancer in July 2024 before she underwent mammoplasty surgery in September of the same year.
This was followed by chemotherapy and radiotherapy, after which she was diagnosed with secondary breast cancer that had spread to her spine in July 2025.
The 57-year-old will now be on oral chemotherapy and other medication for the rest of her life, as well as going for CT and MRI scans every three months and regular blood tests.
Hayley also has lymphedema swelling all over her body, but it is worse in her right arm. She has to wear a tight compression sleeve everyday, which is supposed to help with draining the fluid in her body.
Hayley’s cancer is treatable but not curable and despite everything she has been through over the past few years, she has raised money for a wonderful cause.
There was also pre-loved clothing and homemade sweet treats on sale, and a variety of raffle prizes generously donated by businesses across the town.
Evermore Permanent Jewellery was in attendance and founders Jackie and Phil Firestone kindly donated a portion of their profits from the day to the fundraising total.
Hayley was successful in her aim of raising awareness of the diverse journeys that people of all ages experience with cancer, and there was not a dry eye in the room as the 13 participants bravely walked the catwalk – first on their own and then as a collective before taking a bow.