Target now in sight

Artist Chris Cyprus hands his painting over to the highest bidder, Carole Nash

Your Chronicle — backing the £100,000 Christie Oldham Appeal

MOSSLEY artist Chris Cyprus has brought the Christie’s at Oldham appeal just a whisker away from its £100,000 target by auctioning one of his paintings.

The 38-year-old cancer survivor set up his easel at this summer’s RHS flower show at Tatton Park, Cheshire, to capture the Christie back-to-back garden on canvas.

He put the painting up for auction to raise money for the appeal, and Cheshire business woman Carole Nash won it by forking out £2,500 — then promptly donated it back to Oldham’s new radiotherapy centre, due to open early next year.

Instead, she will have a signed print to hang in her home in Bowden.

Chris auctioned the painting as a thank you to the Christie Hospital.

He was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 2001 and after beating it was devastated to discover a second, more aggressive but unrelated tumour in 2003.

He underwent radiotherapy at the Christie, and was finally given the all-clear in 2004.

Before beginning treatment, Chris had his sperm frozen to give him the chance to have a child further down the line.

Last year, Chris and his wife, Dionne, decided on IVF treatment, and the couple are now the proud parents of six-month-old miracle baby, Drew.

The Evening Chronicle teamed up with the Christie to launch a £100,000 appeal towards the cost of the £17 million development in March this year.

The appeal stood at £90,000 at the last count, and the donation from Chris and Carole (67), who founded Carole Nash Insurance, means it is now just £7,500 short of its target.
The painting mirrors the garden which will be created at the centre of the radiotherapy unit currently under construction at the Royal Oldham Hospital. Carole, who is married with two children and seven grandchildren, said: “I decided to bid for the painting because I love paintings by local artists and I love gardening.

“But the most important reason was because it was for a very good cause.”

Chris added: “I am delighted the painting is going to be donated to the new Christie radiotherapy centre in Oldham. It was a lovely garden and a pleasure to paint.”

Chris is also an active member of the Christie fund-raising group Men Matter, which raises money to train doctors and scientists in male cancer treatment, and for cancer research in the North-West.

Toni Leden, appeals director at the Christie charity, said; “We are extremely grateful to Carole, not only for donating the wonderful painting to our new centre in Oldham but also for such a generous bid which will go directly to the Christie’s at Oldham Appeal.”