A cancer survivor, who has since turned her efforts to fundraising, has been named Tenovus Cancer Care’s Volunteer of the Year 2018 at the charity’s annual awards evening.
Laura Morris-Lloyd, from Caerphilly, secured the title at the Tenovus Volunteer Awards ceremony held at the Principality Stadium on Thursday, 12 July.
The mum-of-three was told she had just weeks to live when she was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in her late teens but since making a full recovery she has dedicated herself to helping others, especially young people, who have been affected by cancer.
Ms Morris-Lloyd, who also won the charity’s Inspiring Award, said: “I was young when I had cancer and I naively thought everyone gets cured but as I’ve gotten older I realise that it’s not the case.
“I’ve got my whole family involved in raising money and I hope that one day we will eradicate this horrible disease.
“I just want to say thank you to everyone at Tenovus Cancer Care who looks after people like me and I’ll do as much as I can to give something back.”
The awards recognise and celebrate volunteers who give up their time and provide their skills to support the charity, which currently has more than 2,000 volunteers across Wales and England.
In the last year, volunteers have provided 300,000 hours worth of fundraising and volunteering that has helped to run vital support services.
Chief Executive of Tenovus Cancer Care, Claudia McVie, said: “Our volunteers play a vital role in helping us deliver our services. We couldn’t do what we do without them. They are out there in the community, helping to support as many cancer patients and their loved ones as possible.
“The Volunteer Awards are our way of saying a great big thank you to everyone who gives their time to us and we’re particularly pleased for Laura, who has worked so hard and made such a huge contribution to the charity. We’re incredibly grateful for everything she has done for people affected by cancer, and she is a very worthy winner.”