York patient’s paella party is a real fiesta!

York Hospital patient, Geoff Ashworth, and his team of family and friends have raised nearly £5,000 by hosting a paella party to say thank you for the care Geoff received following a recent cancer diagnosis.

The fundraising event, in support of York & Scarborough Hospitals Charity, brought together Geoff’s friends and family to enjoy a plate of perfect paella, washed down with a glass or two of sangria - all in support of the good cause.

Geoff, from Staxton, Scarborough, explained, "In June last year, I was diagnosed with cancer in my tongue.  After three operations, six weeks of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and several weeks of misery and grumpiness, I feel good enough to celebrate and give thanks to the head and neck team at York Hospital for sorting me out.”

The event, held on Saturday 1 July, raised a tremendous £4,800, which will now go towards the purchase of additional equipment to support mouth cancer diagnosis and treatment at York Hospital.

Joining in the fiesta fun were some of the teams from York Hospital who were involved in Geoff’s cancer journey.

Becky Morgan, a Speech & Language Therapist who attended on the day, said: “Our Allied Health Professional team supported Geoff during his cancer treatment recovery. He always remained positive and motivated. It was fantastic to celebrate with Geoff at his party and he has raised an incredible amount for our Head and Neck department. We are very grateful!”

Emma Sargent, Community Fundraiser at York & Scarborough Hospitals Charity, added, “The overwhelming support and generous contributions received at the paella party will make a really meaningful difference to patients and families.  We would like to extend our sincere thanks to Geoff and his team for their incredible fundraising and support of the charity and the hospital.”

If you’d like to raise funds for the charity, learn about their work or even host your own paella party, visit https://www.yorkhospitals.nhs.uk/get-involved/york-scarborough-hospitals-charity/ for more details.