NEARLY a month on from her hugely successful fundraising walk, following a devastating cancer diagnosis, the unfailingly positive Val Bugden-Cawsey has paid a visit to the Chestnut Suite at Derriford Hospital to officially hand over money raised to date.

Launceston town councillor, former president of St Stephens by Launceston Women’s Institute and well known across the South West as a hilarious circuit speaker, Val was sadly diagnosed with an advanced and rare type of malignant melanoma, and in May was given six months to live.

However, she vowed not to take it lying down, and an event ‘Val Walks Tall in the Face of Malignant Melanoma’ at Launceston last month plus bucket donations raised more than £6,000.

Donations have been coming thick and fast since, and Val was delighted when she learned the funds would go into a specific pot, which will be called ‘Val’s Malignant Melanoma Research Fund’.

This will go to research at Derriford Hospital so that others who may find themselves with the same diagnosis as Val in future have a better chance at beating it.

Last Thursday, Val took the trip to Plymouth, where Launceston mayor Margaret Young presented her with a cheque for £5,200, which was collected from the walk itself (excluding bucket donations) and collated into the mayoral fund.

Val then handed over £7,124.87 raised in June, £3,585 in July and the £5,200 from the walk to the hospital — so far a total of £15,909.87.

It is very much an ongoing project, with a fundraising target of £50,000, and people locally are encouraged to host their own events in aid of Val’s fund.

All donations are very gratefully received. Donations can be made online at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/val-walks-tall or cheques made payable to Plymouth Hospitals Charity, with Val Bugden-Cawsey written on the reverse, can be sent to Rob Turton, Charitable Funds Accountant, Ground Floor, NU Building, Brest Road, Plymouth, PL6 5YE.

Donations marked Val Bugden-Cawsey can also be sent to G F Gubbin Funeral Directors, Penlaurel, Langdon, Launceston, PL15 8NL or 01566 785340, and Launceston Town Council can also accept donations.