Tireless breast cancer fundraiser Jeanne Chattoe is celebrating after reaching a £100,000 milestone.
It has taken ten years of rattling tins, selling cakes, and organising fashion shows to raise the money for the charity Against Breast Cancer, based at Culham, near Abingdon.
Mrs Chattoe, of Woodstock Road, Witney, started raising money to fund research into breast cancer when her sister, Delia Winkler, of Poffley End, Hailey, was diagnosed with the disease.
Mrs Winkler died in 1993, aged 41.
Mrs Chattoe's fundraising took on a personal note three years ago when she herself was diagnosed with breast cancer.
She underwent surgery and has made a good recovery. The experience served to reinforce her commitment to fundraising for ABC.
Two weeks ago, Mrs Chattoe held her eighth annual fashion show, with more than 400 people at the Windrush Leisure Centre in Witney.
"It was a fabulous evening and everyone had a great time," said Mrs Chattoe, who has enjoyed the support of her husband, Mark, and children Lucy and Richard with all her fundraising efforts.
The fashion show has already raised £3,611 for ABC, and more money is expected. This total includes more than £600 given by Ian Holloway, of Queen Emma's Dyke, Witney, who handed over the proceeds of a cabaret night he held at the leisure centre the previous evening.
Mrs Chattoe's fundraising for October, national Breast Cancer Awareness Month, totals £5,687.
This includes the proceeds of street collections in Witney. It takes her to a figure in excess of £100,000.
After ten years of shouldering the organisational burden alone, Mrs Chattoe now has the backing of an ABC fundraising committee in Oxfordshire.
It was formed at a meeting in Witney recently and already has plans for a variety of events, ranging from race nights to a male 'slave' auction.
Meanwhile, Mrs Chattoe has been shortlisted in the regional finals of the national Whitbread Volunteer Action Awards, after being nominated by ABC.
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