A family run charity in Caron’s memory to support all types of cancer causes
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 wide range of orthodox and complimentary cancer treatments. Her experiences were vast, and the support she received during that time, second to none on all levels.. Caron learnt so much about the disease during her worldwide search for knowledge from Britain to Australia, to Switzerland, as did her mother, Gloria Hunniford and indeed all the family. Tragically, 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 family, friends and colleagues 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 up to almost 48,000 women being diagnosed every year, equal to 130 per day. 1 in 8 women at some time during their lifetime will be affected by it. However survival is improving thanks to breakthroughs in breast awareness, screening and treatment, but there is clearly still much to be done.
Further 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 people diagnosed between now and 2020.
The Caron Keating Foundation makes a considerable difference to many individuals and families affected and dealing with cancer. We do this by assisting small but significant cancer charities who finance professional carers, treatment centres and support groups. It’s a family run Foundation with Gloria Hunniford as the administrator and our only costs are two part time secretaries, meaning that almost all the money raised goes directly to the projects.
Our aim is to give a significant number of grants to small charities throughout Britain, as opposed to trying to raise money towards huge building projects or research which involves millions. We try to make a difference by helping to fund pieces of machinery which detect faster, counselling services, many different types of hospice care, both at home and in the Hospice itself; drivers to take cancer patients to and from treatment centres; complementary therapies to help with pain control and bereavement counselling.
