Family vows to carry on fundraising

Photo: Paul Sterritt

“WE will never stop raising money”. . . (above) family and friends of Chris Frankland will carry on fundraising after they reached their £30,000 target.

AN inspirational family reached its target to raise £30,000 for the Christie hospital before what would have been the 30th birthday of a much-missed family member.

Chris Frankland from Royton died in April 2011, eight weeks after diagnosis. He was 26.

To help them cope with their loss, family members launched a fundraising drive to raise awareness of what is called cancer of the unknown primary - cancers that have spread to other organs before the source tumour is found.

Known as “The General” to his family and friends, Chris would have celebrated his 30th birthday on October 19. After three and a half years of fundraising, his family and friends hit their £30,000 target two weeks before the date.

They originally set themselves a target of £15,000, which meant they could put a leaf on the Christie tree of hope in memory of Chris, but every time they hit their goal they decide to extend it.

Chris’s dad, Rob Frankland, said: “I honestly don’t think we will ever stop. Every time we reach our target, we set a new one.

“Once we raised the first £15,000 we all wanted to carry on so that’s what we did and here we are now.”

Anyone wishing to donate to the cause can do so by visiting www.hopefunds.christies.org/funds/chrisfrankland.