A CANCER sufferer has donated more than £4,000 to the hospital which treated her when she had to have a breast removed to beat the illness.

Leanne Smith, 37, of Helmsley Close, Ferryhill, County Durham, was diagnosed with breast cancer last April and underwent treatment at Bishop Auckland Hospital.

She attended the Mara unit for chemotherapy and radiotherapy before receiving the all clear in November, although she will still need treatment for ten years.

Mrs Smith organised a charity event, Leanne’s Kicking Cancer’s Butt Charity Bash, with husband Craig Smith in Ferryhill earlier this month.

The event raised £4,246.70 which she haded over to the Mara unit today. (Friday, March 27)

“They were fantastic for me and it was absolutely fantastic to give them the money," she said

“I could not believe how much we raised and I was really pleased to give them the money. I wanted to try and do it for them as they did so much for me.

“We’re going to try to raise money for them each year.”

Mrs Smith had to have a breast removed as part of her treatment and now plans to have the other.

This is because her mother, Janice Foster, had cancer in one breast and seemed to beat it but the illness returned in the other breast and spread to claim her life three and a half years ago.

Yvonne Stuart, deputy sister on the Mara ward, said: “It’s such a nice gesture.

“It’s like a little happy family on the Mara unit with the patients and staff and we get quite a lot of donations.”

The money will go into a central fund for the ward to be spent on various items.