A cancer survivor from Salford is just £655 off reaching her fundraising target for equipment which will be used at The Christie's new radiotherapy centre at Salford Royal.

Mel Angold, 35, from Worsley, who was successfully treated at The Christie in 2006, is raising £7,650 for a breast board used in radiotherapy. There will be four boards at the Salford centre and they are vital to radiotherapy treatment for breast cancer patients.

The flexible boards are used to position the patient comfortably so radiotherapy is targeted in precisely the right place, every single time.

Mel and her husband Chris' third annual black tie ball - with auction, raffle, five course meal and disco - at Haigh Hall near Wigan raised £5,645 towards her target.

Now the determined fundraiser is hoping that her next two events - a raffle in August, with over 40 prizes, and a fancy dress bucket collection at Middlebrook Retail Park in Bolton on Saturday 24th July - will ensure she hits the £7,650 mark.

Mel said; "I was diagnosed with breast cancer in May 2006 and had I been diagnosed next year I would have been having my radiotherapy at this new centre in Salford. This would have saved me hours in travelling time.

"After my chemotherapy, I had radiotherapy every day for three weeks at The Christie. The staff were amazing, but sometimes it could take me up to an hour to get there. I was exhausted by the chemotherapy and I found radiotherapy itself tiring too. Being able to go just 15 minutes down the road to get treatment would have made such a difference.

"I want to give something back so that other people can be given the chance to beat cancer and lead a normal life again like I do now. This is why I am determined to raise money for this new radiotherapy centre in Salford."

Mel's fancy dress bucket collection - featuring characters including a Star Wars Stormtrooper and Princess Leia, Christie bear, goldie locks, GI Jane and a 6ft 5 Musketeer - takes place between 11am and 3pm on Saturday 24th July. Mel and Chris are also planning to do the New York Marathon in November this year to raise money towards the Salford centre.

Community fundraising officer at the Christie charity, Howard Newhall said; "Mel is not only one of our most dedicated fundraisers but also a dear friend. Her story is an inspiration and we are so grateful for her fantastic and continued support. This new centre, as Mel knows, will make such a difference to cancer patients in this area."

The Christie charity has joined forces with the Salford Advertiser to help raise £250,000 towards the new £17million Christie radiotherapy centre being built at Salford Royal. The current appeal total stands at more than £110,000.

The radiotherapy centre will be the second in a network of centres where cancer patients from Salford, Wigan and Bolton will be able to access first class radiotherapy treatments from Christie experts, but much closer to home. Building work has started and the centre will open in 2011. The first radiotherapy centre opened in Oldham in March 2010.

As well as treating patients for the most common cancers like breast, bowel and lung, this special development will also be a national centre of excellence for treating brain conditions. It will be equipped to deliver stereotactic radiosurgery, a highly specialised neurosurgical technique for brain cancers - making it one of only a handful of such centres in the UK. Currently patients from Greater Manchester have to travel to Sheffield for this treatment.

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