A brave pensioner who waged a long battle against leukaemia has left a lasting legacy to other sufferers of the illness with the biggest ever gift to a prominent Bradford charity.

Widow Richmal Chadwick, who died aged 76 in August, left more than £300,000 in a bequest to the Annette Fox Leukaemia Research Fund based at Bradford Royal Infirmary.

Mrs Chadwick, of Northcliffe Lane, Thornton, Bradford, had been treated for many years for chronic lymphatic leukaemia.

She was so impressed by the treatment she received under consultant Dr Liakat Parapia at the Yorkshire Clinic, Bingley, that she decided to leave the bulk of her £500,000 estate to the appeal, which funds research into leukaemia and offers extra care to patients treated on ward seven at Bradford Royal Infirmary.

A delighted Dr Parapia said today the gift represented several times the charity's annual income.

The money, he said, would go towards creating a dedicated day unit for haematology patients in Bradford and plans to set up a research fellowship into blood disorders in a partnership with Leeds University.

Dr Parapia said: "Mrs Chad-wick was a very well-known local personality who always supported the fund and it was her wish that her legacy went towards our work in Bradford on leukaemia and related blood disorders.

"It will obviously make a very big contribution to our work."

Mrs Chadwick's godson Stuart Pearson said she was a remarkable woman who never complained about her plight.

She had left gifts to more than 50 individuals and organisations including the Guide Dogs for the Blind.

Mr Pearson said: "She had leukaemia for many years and never even told anybody for a long time - she was a very brave lady."

He added that Mrs Chadwick was an incredible person and seeing her was almost like having an audience as she had such a charisma about her.

"The work of the Annette Fox Fund kept her alive for the last three or four years when she had regular blood transfusions," said Mr Pearson.

"She was very impressed with Dr Parapia's work and very grateful."

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