Sanctuary for teenage cancer sufferers hits £160k milestone

The creation of a sanctuary for cancer-stricken teens at Mercia Marina has taken a step closer after the fundraising drive of a brave 21-year-old Derbyshire woman passed the three-quarter milestone.

Hannah Roberts is battling her own life-limiting cancer but has dedicated her time to a massive fundraising project.

Her goal is to raise £203,000 to purchase a lodge at the marina, near Willington, for use as a respite venue for teenagers and young adults under the care of the Teenage Cancer Trust.

Hannah has now smashed the £150,000 milestone, having raised over three-quarters of her target with funds totalling £160,000.

Hannah was diagnosed with Glioblastoma (GBM4) in 2022, aged 19. She spent one and half years under the care of the teenage cancer ward at Nottingham City Hospital, with surgeries at Nottingham QMC. At the time, she was given 14 months to live.

Mum Gail Iredale said: “It has been a hell of a journey, but we are now in month 27 and are pleased to say that Hannah has received a stable scan.

“Our commitment to this fundraising mission comes from sheer desperation and knowing what other families are going through.

“The physical and mental strain of such a diagnosis makes us determined to make a difference to those under the care of the Teenage Cancer Trust.”

Hannah’s lodge will provide families with the chance to reconnect amid the natural beauty and tranquillity of the South Derbyshire countryside.

A stream of fundraising projects under the charity name ‘Hannah’s Hope’, has resulted in the current total.

At the start of September, Hannah, Gail and Gail’s husband Wayne, opened a successful boutique shop at Mercia Marina, selling high-quality, donated, new and nearly new items.

It became the charity HQ but will close in February as the space donated by the marina is set for redevelopment.

Robert Neff, general manager at Mercia Marina, said: “I’m delighted that Gail, Hannah and Wayne have been able to make use of the unit for their fundraising purposes and that the shop has been such a success. Their story and Hannah’s mission are both heart-breaking and inspirational.

“While the unit is now due to be demolished, I know that their dedication and hard work will make the dream of the Mercia Marina respite lodge a reality.”

To make a donation to Hannah’s Hope visit  https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/gail-iredale-1.