- Incredible Select staffer has raised more than £10,000 to fight breast cancer
- Campaign comes after her own diagnosis in Nov 2023
- Dee Edwards, Senior Appointed Representative Account Manager, now in remission
- All funds raised channelled to the Royal Berks Charity
- Her story highlights the importance of routine screenings
- You can still donate via her Just Giving
A breast cancer campaigner and Select staff member has raised more than £10,000 for the Royal Berkshire Hospital - and she’s urging women not to miss routine screenings.
Dee Edwards, from Wokingham, Berks, was diagnosed with grade 3, triple negative breast cancer in November 2023.
It was spotted during a routine mammogram - an appointment she almost didn’t attend - with Dee having no idea anything was wrong.
Dee, a Senior Appointed Representative Account Manager at Reading-based Select Car Leasing, underwent chemotherapy and radiotherapy and she’s now in remission.
And since confronting the disease, Dee has worked tirelessly to raise funds for the Royal Berks Charity, the official charity of the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust, having been humbled by the incredible care she received at the Royal Berkshire Hospital.
Funds have been raised in numerous ways, from quiz nights to ‘Buzz Off Cancer’ hair shaving days. She’s been supported every step of the way by the Select Car Leasing family, with donations matched by Select’s owners.
The total raised – with Gift Aid factored in - has now topped £10,000, with the Royal Berks Charity hailing the mum-of-four’s ‘energy and vision’.
Dee, speaking to coincide with the annual ‘Wear It Pink’ breast cancer awareness day (October 24th), says her story highlights just how important it is for everyone - women and men - not to skip routine appointments and to seek help immediately if they suspect something is wrong.
(Dee pictured, bottom row, fourth from right, as part of Select's Wear It Pink day)
She explains: “I was fortunate in that my breast cancer was diagnosed early during a routine screening. Had I missed that appointment, the aggressive nature of my cancer, and that fact that it wasn’t detectable by touch, means it could have reached Stage 3 in a matter of a couple of months.
“When I shared my cancer journey with family and friends, some of my girlfriends admitted to missing appointments or postponing them for convenience. Trust me, before I decided to do the same, I checked my schedule to see if it fit in. Thankfully, I went to that first screening.
“So, please, if you’re reading this, make sure you go to your screening and encourage your loved ones to do the same. It’s a golden ticket offered to you by the NHS.
“It’s also important to stress that breast cancer affects both women and men. If you feel a lump getting bigger or experience any unusual symptoms, get it checked out immediately.
“And remember that breast cancer can be curable if caught early.”
Dee says her treatment at the Royal Berkshire Hospital was first class and she received the ‘best care’ from every kind person she met, ‘from the radiographers and nurses to the receptionists and carers, my surgeon and oncologist’.
She was also thrilled to meet one ‘amazing’ nurse, named Grainne, who just happened to be from the same tiny Irish village where her father grew up!
A spokesperson for the Royal Berks Charity said: “Dee has been working alongside the Royal Berks Charity for the past 18 months, raising an amazing amount through her Buzz Cut events.
“Her energy and vision have helped raise awareness and vital funds for the Berkshire Cancer Centre, supporting the Breast Screening Unit, the Wig Department, and King Edward Ward.
“Dee’s creativity and commitment have been inspiring, showing just how much can be achieved through community spirit and determination.”
(Dee pictured with her four sons during a recent road trip to her native Ireland)
The aim of the Royal Berks Charity is simple - to make hospital life better for everyone. From patients and their families to visitors and staff, the charity supports people right across Berkshire, funding those extra touches that go beyond what the NHS can provide.
The charity’s work stretches across the Trust’s sites, including Townlands Memorial Hospital, West Berkshire Community Hospital, Bracknell Healthspace, Dingley Children’s Centre, the Prince Charles Eye Unit, and the Windsor Dialysis Unit.
Each year, around 80,000 people are treated within the Trust, and thanks to the charity’s funding, many of them benefit from state-of-the-art equipment, improved facilities, and wellbeing initiatives that make a real difference to their experience of care.
There are lots of ways to get involved with Royal Berks Charity - whether that’s by making a donation, organising your own fundraiser, or simply spreading the word.
Supporters can give a one-off or regular donation online, by cheque, direct debit, or bank transfer. Every penny raised helps improve lives for patients and staff across the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust. To find out more or to make a donation, visit www.royalberkscharity.co.uk/donate.
Dee’s Just Giving page is still live and welcomes donations.
*Additional editorial support from Marketing Assistant Lily Mabbs.
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