The Finance Operations team at NEXT are raising money for Cancer Research. This is a very close charity to everyone's hearts as this affects so many people. Please help support such a worthy cause!

Individual stories below

Michelle Scannell......

Cancer is something that has unfortunately affected my whole family so I know how important cancer research’s work is to find cures and more kinder treatments

My mother passed away from Ovarian cancer in 2004 and unknown to us at the time she was a carrier of the BRCA gene.

In 2014 I myself was diagnosed with breast cancer but thankful recovered, I was found to carry the BRCA gene which resulted in numerous operations to ensure I had the best possible chance that the cancer wouldn’t return and I still receive treatment which will be lifelong to keep the cancer at bay which (touchwood) has so far worked.

On discovering I had the BRCA gene my sister was also tested however her results came too late and she was diagnosed with breast cancer a year after myself. She beat this initially but the cancer came back a year later and unfortunately she passed away in 2017 leaving behind 2 young children

Late last year my dad was diagnosed with prostate cancer but the outlook is good (we even joke that he felt left out!)

The work that cancer charities do particularly cancer research is so important, we might not have been able to save my mum and my sister but my niece can hopefully look forward to a future that if she tests positive for the BRCA gene she will have a better chance of survival and less brutal treatment than what myself and her mum went through.

I never thought when I was 37 I would have got cancer but it has taught me to not put off things and to live for today.

Vikki Sheppard.......

Vikki Sheppard and Morgan Sheppard are climbing Snowdon with their colleagues from Finance in memory of their beloved grandad / great grandad Brian and all that have suffered and continue to suffer from Mesothelioma.

Brian was diagnosed with Mesothelioma in October 2019 at the age of 84.

The tumor grew very quickly causing lots of horrible symptoms. It was devastating to see him go from a fit and healthy 84 year old to a frail man who was clearly suffering. Brian had decided not to have chemotherapy.

The family are forever grateful to the wonderful Mesothelioma clinical nurse specialists from Glenfield Hospital who arranged for Brian to be looked after by Loros. The Loros staff were exceptional and caring, ensuring Brian was pain free, comfortable and surrounded by all his loved ones when he passed away in March 2021.

Jenny Bowman......

My friend Maryann lost her life at the age of 23 to Cervical Cancer leaving behind her daughters who were 2 & 5 years old at the time.

Maryann had been to the doctor numerous times, given various incorrect diagnoses and was declined a cervical screening test due to her age (25 is usually when cervical screenings are offered in England).

Eventually she was given a cervical screening which confirmed the Cancer. Maryann lost her life 10 months after the initial diagnosis, 1 month after her 23rd birthday.

I will be climbing Snowdon in her memory, trying to raise as much money as possible for cancer research as Maryann deserved to see her girls grow up and have a long and happy life, like so many people that have been taken far too soon due to Cancer.

Sarah Harrison......

My dad was diagnosed in November 2023 with Mesothelioma, a type of cancer that affects the lining of the lungs. My dad unknowingly worked with Asbestos during his painting and decorating days. Unfortunately there is no cure and he is currently on Trial drugs in the hope to prolong his life and keep the cancer stable.

Seeing my dad deteriorate so dramatically over the past 12 months has really changed my mind set and my saying being “You only get one chance at life, you’ve got to live it!”

I completed a sky dive in Aug 2024 with my sister of which we raised around £3800 for Mesothelioma and have signed up to another one in March 2025 and also the Great North Run in Sept 2025 all for Mesothelioma UK.

I'm so proud to be teaming up with colleagues to climb Snowdon for Cancer Research and hope we can raise a good amount of money for such an amazing Charity that affects so many lives.

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.