West Drayton home supports cancer charity and survivor

Home news

Dec 12, 2013

A cancer survivor and much-loved visitor to Care UK’s Franklin House care home in West Drayton has made a cheque presentation to Macmillan Cancer Support, on behalf of the home’s residents and team.

Derek Aron, whose son Jason is a regular entertainer at the home in Rickard’s Close, visits the home whenever his son is treating the residents to one of his very popular shows of songs from the 1950s and 60s.

Activities coordinator Lola Krasser said: “Derek chats to the residents and he is a big hit with them all. Most of our residents are local people and they like to chat about the old days as well as hearing news about what is going on in the area today.”

The residents and team were very concerned when they found out that Derek had cancer and was undergoing treatment, but they were touched when they found out how much help their favourite visitor had received from Macmillan Cancer Support’s helpline.

Lola said: “Cancer touches so many lives that we have chosen to support the charity with our fundraising efforts on a number of occasions. When we received £100 from Care UK, for taking part in its annual staff attitude survey ‘Over to You’, everyone agreed that we wanted to give it to Macmillan Cancer Support and that we wanted Derek to make the presentation as he has been so wonderful as a volunteer.”

Derek told the residents and their relatives, who had gathered for the presentation, about his experiences surviving cancer and thanked Care UK for the money as “it will help to ensure that there is somebody at the end of that phone line.”

Lindsey Cape, Fundraising Manager, for Macmillan Cancer Support in London, received the cheque on behalf of the charity.  She said: “Franklin House and Care UK are wonderful supporters of Macmillan and I would like to thank the residents and team at Franklin House for their ongoing support.”