'˜Amazing' charity event held by Southwick woman with rare cancer

A football and funday charity event, organised by a 21-year-old Southwick woman who suffers from a rare cancer that affects just one in a million people, was hailed an '˜amazing' success.
Katy Morris Paige Harman Holly Edwards and Helen McMullenKaty Morris Paige Harman Holly Edwards and Helen McMullen
Katy Morris Paige Harman Holly Edwards and Helen McMullen

Holly Edwards, who was diagnosed with sarcoma two years ago, said the family-friendly event at Southwick Football Club in aid of Sarcoma UK went ‘really well’.

“It was amazing,” she said. “The room was packed.”

A team from Southwick won a friendly football match between Southwick and Worthing, while visitors also enjoyed a bouncy castle, a raffle, a karaoke and a disco.

Holly Edwards and Jack MurrayHolly Edwards and Jack Murray
Holly Edwards and Jack Murray
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Holly, a former Steyning Grammar student, was just 19 and working at Tesco when she started getting headaches and discovered she had a lump on her leg.

She was told it was an ingrowing hair but eventually, after some X-rays were taken, doctors confirmed it was sarcoma, a rare cancer that affects the bone and soft tissue.

Sadly, Holly was told the disease was terminal.

The cancer spread to her spine and Holly now has tumour in every bone in her body.

A charity football match was heldA charity football match was held
A charity football match was held

She said: “I don’t think I’ve ever really come to terms with the fact that it’s terminal.”

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After her first round of chemotherapy, Holly – who lost her mother to cancer when she was just ten years old – had an operation to replace the tibia bone in her left leg with a metal rod.

In the two years since her diagnosis, Holly has had repeated trips up to London for rounds of hospital treatment, including having radiotherapy on her skull.

She said: “My family has been great and so supportive. My cousins have given up their lives to look after me, they are really inspirational.”

Holly is still counting the money raised for the charity, which will go towards funding vital research to help fight Sarcoma.

Holly said: “As long as I can help even one other family going through what mine is.”

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