A WOMAN whose life was saved by the generosity of two family friends is hoping to repay their kindness with a series of fundraising events.

Teachers Jackie Walshaw and Brian Jameson gave friend Debbie Hall £15,000 to pay for urgent radiowave surgery in New York after learning she had developed secondary breast cancer.

Miss Hall had just given birth to her daughter Jessica, when her secondary cancer was diagnosed.

She was told there was little that UK doctors could do because the tumour had grown so fast and had become the size of a grapefruit within months.

But Miss Hall and her partner John Briggs heard of a new treatment in the US that uses radio waves to target cancer cells with pinpoint accuracy and decided to try to raise the money to pay for the trip.

They re-mortgaged their house and held various fund-raising nights for the Debbie Hall Cancer Trust. Then family friends Mrs Walshaw and Mr Jameson came through with the lion's share of the £21,000 needed for her three-week stay.

Mrs Walshaw, who is headteacher of girls' PE at Eston Park School, in Middlesbrough, said: "We were just glad to help and hope she will be around to see little Jessica grow up.

"We wanted the money to be used for something useful and felt this was the right thing to do."

Miss Hall's tumour has now gone and she is awaiting a CT scan to see if she will need any more treatment, or whether her condition can be controlled with drugs.

Miss Hall said: "I can't believe how fantastic my family and friends have been. It is more than I expected.

"People have been so kind. There are an awful lot of people to thank."

Miss Hall is now hoping to raise money to pay back Mrs Walshaw and Mr Jameson with a series of fundraising events,with any extra money going to other cancer sufferers.

The first event will be a race night with pie and peas supper at The Normanby Hotel, Normanby, next Monday, at 7.30pm.

A Stars In Their Eyes tribute night will be held at The Towers Club, in Middlesbrough, on November 20.

Tickets for both events and further information are available from Mr Briggs on 0777 979 7933.