Caron was first diagnosed with Breast Cancer in 1997 when she was in her mid 30’s. At that time she was a much loved TV personality, having presented programmes such as Blue Peter, This Morning, Top of the Pops and Entertainment Today. She was happily married with two young sons, Charlie and Gabriel. After her diagnosis, she valiantly spent the next seven years fighting and managing the disease through a range of orthodox and complimentary cancer treatments. Her experiences were vast, and the support she received during that time were second to none. Caron learnt so much about the disease during her worldwide search for knowledge, as did her mother, Gloria Hunniford and indeed all the family. Sadly, Caron lost her tenacious battle with cancer in 2004 and subsequently the family set up a fund in Caron’s name - The Caron Keating Foundation which gives grants to all types of cancer charities.

It seems that cancer has touched most people in the UK, through the experiences of friends, colleagues and family, and it has become a disease that no one can afford to ignore. Statistically, one in three of us will be diagnosed with cancer at some stage in our lives. Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK with nearly 41,000 new cases diagnosed each year, claiming around 13,000 lives a year.

More frightening statistics show that every day, over 750 people in the UK are told they have some form of cancer, and if the current trend continues there will be more than five million more people diagnosed between now and 2020. There is however good news, with the advent of earlier detection and improved treatment and drugs, cancer death rates in the UK have fallen dramatically in the last ten years, and this trend will hopefully continue.

The Caron Keating Foundation makes a considerable difference to many individuals and families affected by cancer. It targets and financially assists small but significant cancer  charities, professional carers and support groups. It is a family run Foundation with Gloria Hunniford as the administrator. The Foundation’s only costs are two part-time secretaries, with all the money raised going to cancer charities. In the Beneficiaries section there is a list detailing some of those charities we have given grants to since inception in October 2004.