A charity dedicated to helping young people with cancer is celebrating its 10th anniversary.

The Laura Crane Trust was set up in memory of a former Brighouse High School student who died shortly after her 17th birthday.

She suffered from a complex mix of four types of cancer. Yet at the time of her death there was no UK charity funding research into cancers affecting teenagers and young adults.

Laura's mum Jacquie Roeder set out to change this and the trust was born within months of her daughter's death.

Ten years on and £750,000 later and it is still the only one of its kind in the country - funding research into cancers affecting young people.

Mrs Roeder said: "The purpose of the charity is two fold.

"The main drive is to fund research specifically into cancer in 13 to 25-year-olds. Cancer in that age group behaves very different because of hormonal activity and growth spurts. Having lost my own daughter that's always going to be the main purpose of the trust. The other thing that we do is to support young cancer sufferers."

Laura's Trust paid £45,000 to fund an activities co-ordinator at St James' in Leeds, when the teenage cancer unit was created there. After three years of funding the scheme's success meant the hospital took over the funding.

As well as this, £20,000 helped set up a specialist teenage cancer unit at Western Park Hospital in Sheffield.

The trust has also pledged £144,000 to the hospital's Survive and Thrive project which aims to examine the effects cancer treatment can have on survivors.

Fundraising manager Pam Thornes, said: "Some of the things that we funded have been absolutely wonderful, but we need to show how these achievements have worked over the last 10 years.

"Our aim for this anniversary year is to increase awareness of what we do and become a nationally recognised charity - not simply known in this region."

To make 2006 a bumper fundraising year for the trust, they are setting up a special 10th anniversary committee To join the 10th anniversary fundraising committee or to arrange your own event call the trust on 01484 510013 or email admin@lauracranetrust.org This year the trust is one the Kirklees mayor's charities and a number of events have already been organised to boost funds. A college friend of Laura's Mike Dann, is part of a team of three competing in a race to the North Pole.

"I am just absolutely delighted at the number of people who have supported us," said Mrs Roeder. "It's been wonderful to achieve so much such a short time. We want to make the 10th anniversary a record year."