THREE women whose lives have been affected by cancer have formed a group in the area to support a national charity.

The Bishop Auckland Cancer Research Committee will raise awareness and cash to help combat the disease in the North-East.

Kathryn Hennessy-Marley, 26, Sarah Latcham, 36, and Keeley Thomas, 22, met at the Buddies Child Care Centre, in Bishop Auckland, where two of the women have their children cared for.

Mrs Latcham, of Redworth Park Estate, Shildon, lost close friend Claire Pett, 39, to breast cancer.

The mother of two said: “I met Kathryn and Keeley at the creche and we all just bounced off each other and the committee has become a big part of lives.

“Kathryn and I couldn’t bear the thought of our children going through the same thing as our loved ones have.”

The committee has been given a free reign by Cancer Research UK to carry out fundraising.

The members have planned sponsored bag packs and a charity ball at Walworth Castle, near Darlington, in October.

Mrs Latcham said all money raised will stay in the region: “We want the money to help people in the North-East.

“We don’t want it to go to a man in London or a woman in Cornwall - that’s something that’s important to us all.”

Kathryn Hennessy-Marley’s sister Sophie Blackett died, aged 23, last May after she developed cervical cancer.

Miss Hennessy-Marley, a ward clerk at Darlington Memorial Hospital, said: “We want to raise awareness in Bishop Auckland because there is nothing like this here.

“We’re going to do posters and leaflets for Bishop Auckland and up the dale. I think if Sophie knew more about it she would have benefited from it.”

Keeley Thomas, a worker at Buddies creche on Newton Cap Bank, decided to join the committee after her mother was diagnosed with skin cancer.

Miss Thomas, her mother and the rest of the group will run Darlington’s Race For Life on Sunday June 14.

Those with fundraising ideas are invited to contact the committee on: sarahlatcham@yahoo.co.uk.