When Iris lost her teenage daughter Tanya to cancer in 2005, she found there was little support for young cancer patients in her area, so she founded the charity Tanya's Courage.

Since setting up the charity, Iris has gone to great lengths to improve the circumstances of others and offer them much needed support in their time of need.

Dr Sophie Mepham met Iris at the Royal Cornwall Hospital where Tanya received her treatment and nominated Iris for her 'courage, bravery and determination to help others'.

Staying strong

Tanya was just 16 when she was diagnosed with a rare form of leukaemia. Iris, not wanting to leave her daughter's side for a second, immediately moved into her hospital room and slept on the floor by her bed every night.

As Iris, her husband Eddie and elder daughter Nicola, now 23, supported Tanya, they struggled financially. Disaster struck before Christmas 2004 when the family lost their home, and, just when they thought things couldn't get any worse, Iris was also dismissed from her job for taking too much time off to spend with Tanya. But the brave mum remained strong for the sake of her daughter. Dr Mepham told us, 'I don't think I have ever met someone who showed such courage as Iris.'

Tanya's courage

Throughout her gruelling treatment, Tanya inspired others and vowed that she would do something to help young cancer patients. Tragically, in April 2005, Tanya passed away. That same year Iris, determined to fill the gap for young cancer patients in Cornwall, founded the charity Tanya's Courage.

Now in its fourth year, Tanya's Courage has helped numerous young adults, many of whom stand to lose everything they have.

When patients are referred to them, Iris gives them a cheque for £300. She says, 'That's our initial contact to say “we're here if you need us and if you need more help, come back to us.” The money can be spent on whatever the family wishes, but they can be given help in other ways too.

'We'll buy anything they need,' says Iris. 'If it's equipment that's not covered on the NHS, then we'll fund it. We can help if they're struggling to pay a bill, or if they just want something nice to cheer them up. We recently offered a family a night in a hotel so that they could spend some quality time together.'

Going the extra mile

But it doesn't stop there. Last year, the charity granted one girl's wish to meet the singer James Morrison, and also paid for a boy to study at college while he was in remission. Dr Mepham adds, 'One patient had housing problems. When I told Iris, she immediately organised an emergency payout the next day. She goes above and beyond what would be expected of her.' Iris will do anything to ensure that other families are spared the hardship endured by her own family.

She also devotes time to support parents of cancer sufferers by lending them a friendly ear, while daughter Nicola is always on hand to help siblings.

When she is not working as a patient discharge co-ordinator at the Royal Cornwall Hospital, Iris is constantly thinking up new ways to raise awareness and money. Her long-term goal is to set up the first adolescent cancer unit in Cornwall.

Dr Mepham adds, 'Iris's dedication to do this all in Tanya's name is truly nothing short of amazing.'

www.tanyascourage.org.uk

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