A Bradford woman who lost her daughter to breast cancer will celebrate her 80th birthday by raising money for Bradford Can...

Gwladys Haddy, of Shipley, turns 80 on Sunday. But on Saturday night she is hoping her extended family and friends will turn out to help her party the night away at Windhill Conservative Club and raise money for the Telegraph & Argus Bradford Can...Cancer Research Appeal.

Instead of birthday presents, the octogenarian has asked for donations to be given to Bradford Can...in memory of her eldest daughter, the late Jean Fretwell, who died on November 3, 2000, aged 54.

Jean, who was married to her long-time partner John for about 12 months before her death, worked as production administrator for the T&A, for 14 years.

She battled against cancer for 18 months. "It was a real shock," said Mrs Haddy, of Carr Lane, Windhill. "She was so well liked and known and respected by a lot of people."

Mrs Haddy said she would have been happy with a low-key birthday, but as mother to nine children, and with 13 grandchildren and ten great grandchildren, the most recent of which arrived on January 7, her family had different ideas. "I am getting used to the idea of a party now but I didn't want any presents," she said. "You get to my age and there wasn't anything I wanted so I just decided it was time to do my bit for cancer research. I think everyone knows someone that has either got cancer or has lost someone to cancer so I think it is so important to raise money for an appeal like this."

The Bradford Can...Cancer Research Appeal aims to raise £1 million for pioneering cancer research right here in Bradford. Every penny raised in the community by people like Mrs Haddy and her family will be doubled by Bradford company Sovereign Healthcare, who have made the generous offer to provide match funding of £100,000.

When the £1 million target is reached it will trigger a further £5 million in funding from The Cancer Research Campaign which will be spent at The University of Bradford's Cancer Research Unit and on trials of anti-cancer drugs at Bradford Royal Infirmary.

Special section on the Bradford Can... appeal