I’m so proud to say ‘I did it for The Christie’ and I will continue to do so - Janice Moss

Janice Moss, Christie fundraiser and Partner Governor

Janice Moss

I am married and a mother of two sons, so when I was diagnosed with breast cancer, one of my first I thoughts was that I wouldn’t see my sons finish their education, and I became quite depressed.    

The staff who gave me radiotherapy at The Christie were incredibly kind, understanding, caring and patient with me; and 20 years on, not only are my sons married, I also have four wonderful grandchildren who are the light of my life.

A few months after I was successfully treated at The Christie I came across a photo in my local newspaper of the Altrincham & Sale fundraising group for The Christie and I immediately knew I should join them.   

My life changed from that day onwards, and it has been one of the best things I have ever done. Over 19 years later, I am Chair of Altrincham & Sale fundraising group. We work so hard to raise much needed money for The Christie charity, but we also have a lot of fun and I have met so many wonderful people.     

We are all used to hearing stories about people’s lives (relevant and irrelevant) when we are standing doing bucket collections and I am truly overwhelmed by total strangers’ generosity towards the hospital. “We all know someone who has been touched by The Christie” is one of the most common sentences I hear, day in and day out.

As well as being involved in the local fundraising group, I also became a volunteer at The Christie over 10 years ago. As a volunteer, I have done all sorts of things including handing out cupcakes to staff in parts of the hospital that I didn’t know existed, filing, surveying patients, making tea and toast for families waiting for a patient to come back from day surgery and of course working shifts in the May Draper Tea Bar (what foresight that lady must have had).

I have met so many amazing and grateful patients who come for a cup of tea or coffee and a biscuit, and very often a chat. And I have made lots of wonderful friends who serve behind the tea bar with me. Many of them have been volunteering at The Christie for a long time and what they don’t know about the hospital is not worth knowing!

I have been to many seminars and I have attended the Spotlight events. I never cease to be amazed by the developments being made to treat cancer patients. I often come away wondering what else could possibly be discovered in the future. Then I hear about new drug trials, new machines, and new treatments; and the hope they bring.

Very recently, I was honoured to take another big step for The Christie, when I became a Partner Governor for The Christie charity. 

It is fortunate that I am retired because I am busier than I have ever been; I am only just finding time to keep up with my other outside interests and you can also tell I don’t like housework!

Janice Moss (3rd from left)

Throughout the last 20 years I have done many things for The Christie. I am therefore delighted to have been asked to support a new charity fundraising campaign, ‘I did it for The Christie’. This exciting new campaign aims to encourage people to do something for The Christie and for cancer patients throughout the North West. What you choose to do can be as little as liking the charity’s Facebook page, or as much as 20 years of fundraising like me!

My involvement with The Christie all started with a diagnosis of breast cancer, and the rest, as they say, is history. I’m so proud to say ‘I did it for The Christie’, and I will continue to do so.

Please visit www.christies.org/ididit to find out what you can do.