A MUM and daughter are organising a dog show at Eastville Park to champion a charity dedicated to the early detection of breast cancer.
Clare Daly, of Stapleton, and her daughter Emily are drawing on Emily’s experience with the disease to support youth-focused awareness charity CoppaFeel!
Emily (pictured above with husband Justin and son Rory) was diagnosed with breast and lymph cancer in November 2023, at the age of 33, and underwent six months of chemotherapy.
During her treatment she learned that she had a mutation in a gene known as BRCA1, which made her susceptible to breast and ovarian cancer.
As a result she decided to have a double mastectomy and her ovaries and fallopian tubes removed, to give her the best chance of surviving.
Clare will also have a test to find out if she carries the mutation, but faces a wait of a year before she can have it, with a further three to four-month wait for the results.
Emily, who lives in Kingswood with her husband and six-year-old son, has also undergone radiotherapy and needs calcium infusions to strengthen her bones, as the gene mutation means she can’t have hormone replacement therapy.
As well as the physical, emotional and psychological toll of the disease and treatment Emily, a freelance tattoo artist and illustrator, faced five months with no income because she was unable to get benefits.
Clare contacted her then MP, Kerry McCarthy, who raised the issue in Parliament.
‘Pushing myself to the limit’
Emily is planning to mark her two year “cancerversary” in November by undertaking a 100km trek across the Sahara Desert with her cousin Isabella Thomas, from Devon, to raise money and awareness for CoppaFeel!
She said: “I’ll be pushing myself to the very limit in an environment that’s as tough as it gets, but I’ve made it through tougher!
“I’m doing it to prove to myself that I can, and to help CoppaFeel! continue their vital work in raising awareness of early breast cancer detection for other ladies like me.”
Emily has started fundraising online and has a donation page here.
Dog show at Eastville Park
To help reach the £3,000 target she and Clare are organising a family fete and dog show at Eastville Park on Sunday, June 8.
The show will be held near the playground from 11am-4pm and has 14 categories.
They are:
- Golden Oldie (8+ years old)
- Best Puppy (under 12 months old)
- Most handsome chap
- Most gorgeous girl
- Best Trick
- Cutest Couple (any two dogs)
- Dog most like their owner
- Waggiest Tail
- Best child handler (under 13 years)
- Best Ears
- Best Coat
- Most appealing eyes
- Dog judge would most like to take home
- Best in Show
Helping out is Clare’s son Sam, who runs a dog care business in Stapleton.
Anyone who would like to sponsor a category or book a stall should email clare1daly@hotmail.co.uk.
Claire said: “Emily has been really strong, she’s been amazing.
“Now we want to raise awareness so others can have the best chances at winning this fight.”