A celebration of life party for a local woman diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma has raised almost £6,000 for local charities.

Katie Anderson, 52, of West Charleton, was first diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma of the left breast in 2002, and after chemotherapy and surgery over the next three years, the cancer went in to remission.

Unfortunately, the cancer returned to her bowel and liver in June 2014, and more chemotherapy and further treatments were tried. Katie continued to work despite the challenges this brought on her body during treatment. However, by August 2016 the diagnosis became terminal. Despite this Katie continued working full time as a store manager in Boots, Salcombe until very recently, when it was time to stop working after being with Boots since 2005.

Katie sadly died in the early hours of the morning of Thursday, July 27 at St Luke’s Hospice in Plymouth.

Katie had planned to have a celebration of life party with lots of family and friends at the Creeks End Pub in Kingsbridge on Sunday July 30. In Katie’s absence, her family and friends felt that it was only right to hold the party and honour her wish with the intention of raising funds for St Luke’s Hospice, the Mustard Tree and the Triangle Centre - all local charities which supported Katie during and at the end of her life.

Katie would have wanted to thank all the generous local businesses who donated prizes for the day; as well as Emma Lane Harvey for all the planning and arranging of the party; and to Terry Harvey and Yvonne Hajiyianni for providing the venue, music and refreshments.

The total raised for the three charities at the party was £5,892.82.

Organiser Emma Lane Harvey said: “We would like to thank the following people and businesses for their support in the silent auction and raffle prizes: Leighton Elliot at Elliot Cleaning, Pretty Local, Barton Solutions, The Oyster Shack, Moyseys, Alice Blount, Claire Roper Harvey, Jules Fivian, Jason Jackson, Olivia Jones, Bibi, Mint Velvet, Heron Valley, Weaver Green, Habit, Start Bay Inn, Stokeley Farm, Salcombe Gin Company, Noyces, Lazy Sundays, Kingsbridge Wine Room, Wills Bees Bespoke Ltd, Mahabarat, Cafe Asia, The Globe Pub, Castle Cafe, Julie Carnell, Posh Totti, Sophie Darling, Bantham Surf Academy, Streamers and Floc.”

If you would like to donate to these three charities, a just giving page has been set up in Katie’s name at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/katieandersoncelebrates.