Southwick woman with rare cancer to hold charity football event

A 21-year-old Southwick woman, who suffers from a rare incurable cancer which affects just one in a million people, is holding a fundraising football event tomorrow in aid of charity.
Holly Edwards from Southwick has organised a charity football eventHolly Edwards from Southwick has organised a charity football event
Holly Edwards from Southwick has organised a charity football event

Holly Edwards, who was diagnosed with Sarcoma two years ago, hopes the event at Southwick Football Club on Saturday (July 28) will raise funds for charity Sarcoma UK and help spread awareness of ‘this horrible disease’.

The former Steyning Grammar student was just 19 years old and working at Tesco when she started getting headaches and discovered she had a lump on her leg.

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She was told it was an ingrowing hair – but eventually, after some x-rays were taken, doctors confirmed it was Sarcoma, an uncommon cancer that affects the bone and soft tissue.

Sadly, Holly was told the disease was terminal.

Doctors found the cancer had spread to her spine and Holly now has tumour in every bone in her body.

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

Holly was told the particular form of Sarcoma she suffers with affects just one in a million people.

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After her first round of chemotherapy, Holly – who lost her mother to cancer when she was just 10 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.”

The family-friendly event at the club in Old Barn Way will involve a Worthing vs Southwick charity match at 1.30pm.

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There will also be a bouncy castle, games, a lucky dip, a raffle, a bake sale, karaoke and a disco.

Holly said: “I wanted it to be the best it could be. We’ve got lots of stuff happening.

She has already raised £400 through social media and hopes to raise more on the day.

Businesses in Southwick had been ‘really helpful’ in donating prizes for a raffle on the day, she said.

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Donations to the charity will go towards funding vital research to help fight Sarcoma.

Holly said all her efforts would be worth it: “As long as I can help even one other family going through what mine is.”

The event begins at 12.30am.

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