Amazingly Successful Fundraiser for the Fungal Infection Trust

Submitted by GAtherton on 11 April 2016

Widow raises £4,610 for charity in memory of husband…

A WIDOW from Southport has raised more than £4,000 for charity in memory of her husband.

John Clark passed away in February last year after a battle with a crippling lung disease called Apsergillosis. Following his death his wife Janet, along with friends and family held a special charity night in his memory which raised £4,610 for the Fungal Infection Trust who are currently researching ways to fight the disease.

Santander Bank in Churchtown, where Janet’s sister Sue Clegg works, helped to organise the event and donated £1,400 towards the cause.

Janet’s son Thomas also competed in a half marathon, raising £210 – when added to the £3,000 raised from the charity night a delighted but emotional Janet was able to present the charity with a cheque for £4,610.

She told The Champion: “Aspergillosis is a disease not a lot of people have heard of. There are a few different types of Aspergillosis and the one John had was being allergic to some of the spores in the air which we breathe,

“These caused a fungal infection on John’s lungs which harden the lungs and block them up stopping him from breathing. 

“Watching someone you love trying to take a breath is the hardest thing I have ever had to do. 

“There is no cure for this disease so last February I decided to have a charity event to help raise money for the research into Aspergillosis.

“It has been a hard year without John, he was my best friend and I miss him so much, losing him to this horrible disease has been awful.”

“If we can help in any way to raise money for this charity to find out more about this lung disease it would be amazing, we need to help to stop people from dying far too young.

“I would like to thank everyone who helped onn the night, for all the donations of money and prizes, for Santander for their donation and mainly for making people aware of this horrible disease. John would be very proud of everyone who helped to raise this money.”