Brave Lisa set to tie the knot

Lisa Veal and her sisters Julie Livesey (left) and Lesley Gresty (right) handed the proceeds of their charity event over to Jacky Plant from the Christies at Oldham campaign

BRAVE cancer sufferer Lisa Veal will walk down the aisle next month after her long-term partner went down on one knee and asked her to be his wife.

Anthony Russell made his emotional proposal in front of dozens of well-wishers at a charity event where Lisa had her head shaved.

She said “yes,” and now she and her sisters, Lesley Gresty and Julie Livesey, are excitedly planning a day they want to be extra special.

Lisa chose her 34th birthday to lose her locks because she didn’t want the couple’s two daughters, Chloe (13) and Georgia (7), to see her hair fall out with chemotherapy.

The youngsters will be bridesmaids when their parents tie the knot at Oldham Register Office, Chadderton Town Hall, on Saturday, July 4. The charity birthday party, at Chadderton’s Crown pub, known locally as the Sump’ole, raised £4,210 for the Christie’s at Oldham campaign.

And it brought the total raised since the appeal was launched on March 11 to £35,000. The sisters made a plea through the Evening Chronicle for long-lost friends to join them at Lisa’s party.

Her sister Lesley said: “It was incredible. We only had eight days to organise it and I can’t even begin to tell you how many people turned up.

“It was absolutely overwhelming. The place was packed — people came who we haven’t seen for 15 years.”

She added: “We are so pleased with the amount we raised.

“It was unbelievable — people we don’t even know sent cheques through the post and telephoned me with their support after my number was in the Chronicle.

“It was heart-touching, and I would like to say a big thank you to everyone.”

Lisa has small-cell lung cancer, which is rare in a person so young.

There is no cure, but it can be treated, and Lisa, of Fields New Road, Chadderton, is two treatments into a course of chemotherapy at the Christie Hospital.

She said: “It’s an aggressive type of chemotherapy and I don’t feel too well at the moment, but the doctors said they can move the date for my treatment, if need be.

“The first treatment reduced the tumour by 20 per cent, and if the rest is as successful it could put it to sleep for a little while.

“It’s just a case of ‘fingers crossed’,” added Lisa.

She is full of plans for her wedding day, and said: “I’m really looking forward to it, it’s giving me something to focus on.”




TO get help or advice in setting up a fund-raising event, contact the appeals office on 0161-446 3988, visit www.christies.org or text OLDHAM CHRISTIE followed by your name and address to 07971-456824 to receive a fund-raising pack. The pack will have details on how to make sure your money goes to the Christie At Oldham Appeal. Cheques should be made payable to The Christie (Oldham Evening Chronicle). If sending cash, enclose a covering letter to say it is for the Christie At Oldham campaign.