June's charity ball to honour special causes

June Winks has organised a charity ball for two charities close to her heart.

Grandmother June Winks was spurred on to raise money for stillbirth and neonatal death charity SANDS and Breast Cancer Now after her own personal heartache.

She was left devastated when her baby son Luke was stillborn at 29 weeks in 1999 and she then faced a battle against breast cancer in 2010.

June now hopes to raise as much money as possible to support other people facing similar situations.

“With Luke, it was a difficult experience, we were on a labour ward and I felt there should have been a separate area for problem pregnancies,” June, 47, from Illingworth said.

“There’s so many people who have gone through things like this. As the years go by, the pain never goes away, it doesn’t get easier, you just learn to deal with that pain.

“I’m hoping the money will be put to good use, it’s hard to hear babies crying when you have lost your own.

“Then in 2010, I found a lump and was diagnosed with breast cancer. My first thought was ‘please don’t let me die’.

“It was caught early and it wasn’t that advanced, but if it wasn’t for the different machines and medicines, I don’t know if myself, and others, would be here today.”

The fundraising event - a charity dinner - will be held at the Raggalds, Queensbury, on Friday, June 3, from 7pm.

The night will feature a two-course dinner and cabaret plus a DJ and a raffle.

For more information and to buy tickets, contact June on 01422 240734 or 07734720835.

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