FOUR organisations marked World Cancer Day with Beyond the Stars, a fundraising dinner for Prostate Cancer UK and Prevent Breast Cancer at the Cresta Court Hotel, on March 4.

They were Altrincham Court Leet in conjunction with Altrincham Rotary, Altrincham, Chamber of Trade and Commerce and Hale Civic Society.

Alderman Denise Laver from Altrincham Court Leet organised the event and led the proceedings.

At the start, the Provost of Altrincham , Burgess Tony Collier showed a moving video about a 44-year-old man who was living with stage 4 prostate cancer.

Alderman Laver said how the Provost, who had terminal Prostate cancer had inspired the event. Wearing a red dress, her mother’s favourite colour, she gave a disturbing account of her death from cancer of the oesophagus

She spoke of the work of Florence Nightingale as the 200th anniversary of her birth approached.

“She did so much for hygiene which applies even today,” she said.

Judi Hibbert, the Community fundraising Co-ordinator.who worked for Prevent Breast Cancer at the Nightingale Centre, Wythenshawe Hoospital said that hers was the only charity dedicated to the prediction and prevention of breast cancer.

Their team of clinical investigators at the Nightingale Centre worked with others at the Christie hospital and Manchester University.

Burgess Collier spoke of the Prostate cancer that had changed his life.

It hit him in 2017 when he was training for a 56 mile Ultra marathon in South Africa.

“I had a niggling groin strain. I received my diagnosis after an MRI scan when I was given two years to live. That was 34 months ago.”

Tony had had the disease without symptoms for ten years.

He stressed the importance of all men and boys being tested.