A MOTHER who lost her daughter to cancer will be honoured with a prestigious award.

Sue Sollis of the Tracy Sollis Leukaemia Trust, is set to be honoured by blood cancer charity Anthony Nolan, at an awards ceremony held at the Tower of London this week.

The group have been shortlisted for the Organisational Fundraiser of the Year Award at the Anthony Nolan Supporter Awards 2019.

Over the past 23 years, Sue Sollis has raised nearly £1.2m for Anthony Nolan in memory of her daughter Tracy. Funding by Mrs Sollis has been a life cause to endeavour to help patients suffering from the disease.

Tracy Sollis attended Prince Henry’s High School, Evesham, when she was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia in 1993 aged just 14 years old. Sue was told that the only way she would survive was to have a bone marrow transplant. A donor was found and Tracy underwent her transplant in November 1994. The transplant was unsuccessful and Tracy sadly passed away in February 1995.

Ever since, her mother Sue has dedicated her life to raising awareness and funds for Anthony Nolan. This year the Trust will fund £34,000 of research equipment. Sue has not only raised awareness by giving public talks and featuring in local and national media, but also set up two charity shops.

On her nomination, Sue said: “It was a pleasant and completely unexpected surprise. The Tracy Sollis Leukaemia Trust has been raising funds for many years to enhance the treatment and care of those with leukaemia and other blood disorders. This has been achieved largely through directly purchasing and donating equipment for use in the Anthony Nolan Research Institute. We also provide complementary therapy for patients in our local Worcester Royal Hospital. Our complementary therapist, Carrie Adams, has a very special understanding of leukaemia as she is a form former patient who underwent a successful bone marrow transplant in 2005.”

Sue said: “One of the highlights of raising funds for Anthony Nolan was way back in 1996. This was when one of the laboratories was officially opened by HRH The Duchess of Kent and dedicated in memory of Tracy. This followed a successful appeal to raise £100,000 within the Evesham community.”

Sue has also been honoured with the award of the British Empire Medal (BEM).