Around 200 people braved the wind and rain to attend Women On the Move Against Cancer’s annual fundraising event at Westminster Boating Base, London.
Since 1979, when WOMAC began, more than 50 charities have received almost £900,000 in donations for projects ranging from funding counsellors, supplying flowers and benches in hospice gardens and providing reclining chairs in treatment rooms, as well as supporting many all-important research projects that are helping to improve cancer diagnoses and treatment.
Chairman Janet Wilkinson MBE told guests that WOMAC was able to increase its support to Fight Bladder Cancer in 2015, with a final donation of £20,000. In addition, donations of £5,000 to each of three charities were made: Cyclists Fighting Cancer, The Lyla Nsouli Foundation and Momentum.
This year, WOMAC – an organisation run by approximately 65 female volunteers working in the automotive and associated industries – has pledged its support to Prostate Cancer UK and will fund various activities to raise awareness of prostate cancer and its symptoms to men and their families, as well as medical professionals. Improvements in awareness mean earlier diagnosis, enabling treatment to begin sooner and lead to positive outcomes.
WOMAC is most grateful to all of its supporters, without whom we would not have been able to achieve any of this.
After thanking guests for their continued support, Janet, who, after 13 years as Chairman is stepping down from her role, said a personal thank you to the WOMAC patrons and her committee colleagues. Janet’s successor, Georgia Fox of Sims Images, will take over in 2017.
Janet said, “WOMAC has meant much to me over many years. I always say everyone knows someone who has been affected by cancer. Well, I seem to have known and lost far too many people that I care about. However, the really good news is that I also know a lot of people who have survived cancer and that’s important to remember. We can, and do, help to make a difference.”
As well as the generosity of individual supporters, WOMAC would like to thank its corporate sponsors for their support: AutoTrader, BMW Group, Kia Motors (UK), Mark Oliver Design, Newspress, Performance PR, Peugeot, Sims Images, SMC Services, SMMT, Vauxhall Motors, Volkswagen Group United Kingdom and Volvo Car UK.
Just the job: With Janet (above) are Rosie Parkinson, Special Events Assistant, Prostate Cancer UK and Naeman Symonds-Baig, Corporate Partnerships Executive, Prostate Cancer UK.
Talking shop: WOMAC Committee Huguette Boyagis, Sue Loy, Janet Wilkinson, Georgia Fox and Sophie Williamson-Stothert.
