COURAGEOUS brain cancer sufferer Hannah Roberts is hoping she will see the £203,000 waterside holiday home for other patients and their families finally become a reality.
The 21-year-old has now raised £189,225 towards the cost of the respite lodge at Mercia Marina in south Derbyshire and her mother, Gail Iredale, is hoping they will top the build target by May.
She said: “Hannah is so hopeful she will see the build happen and hand the lodge keys to the first family to enjoy.
“We are so close; with the support and generosity of the local community, we hope to hit target for the initial build cost by May. We would welcome any support or help from local businesses who may wish to help us in our endeavour.
“We will then be racing in to see the marina team to go through all the purchase agreements and specifications and place the order.
“The problem with brain cancer is it is an untreatable cancer. She’s doing so well and has just had a stable scan, which is all we ever hope for. Her scans are every three months and we hope it continues. Hope is our key word.”
Hannah and her family have raised the money via a shop at the marina, various fundraisers and a JustGiving page.
They hope the lodge will become a sanctuary for young cancer sufferers and their families, allowing them to relax away from the day-to-day stress of dealing with the disease and treatments.
Hannah was diagnosed with glioblastoma (GBM4) in 2022, aged 19. She spent one and a half years under the care of the teenage cancer ward at Nottingham City Hospital, with surgeries at Nottingham QMC. At the time, she was given 14 months to live.
Hannah, who won the BBC fundraiser of the year award in Radio Derby’s Make a Difference Awards, is focused on raising cash for the lodge. She is hoping a few more donations will see them hit the £203,000 target.
To donate to Hannah’s Hope please visit: www.justgiving.com/campaign/hannahshopeatmerciamarina
