Forth Valley nurse organises fundraiser for cause ‘close to her heart’
An NHS Forth Valley nurse is organising a fundraiser to support cancer charity Breast Cancer Now, a cause she holds close “both personally and professionally”.
Leigh Daisley, a staff nurse in Area 2 of the Outpatients Department at Forth Valley Royal Hospital, has planned a Wear It Pink day on Friday, October 23 to raise funds for the charity.
The team works closely with thousands of patients each year, and have witnessed how important compassionate care, support, and clear information is for people affected by breast cancer.
The event, held at the hospital, will feature a raffle with prizes donated by local businesses and Area 2 staff, games, and a memory tree for people to honour a loved one or themselves.
Most of the fundraising will be held in the atrium, and consideration has been taken so that the event does not impact those attending the clinic, which will also be decorated for the event.
Staff members have already planned their pink accents, from tutus to wigs, and Leigh has an array of pink hair accessories on hand to match the pink scrubs she will wear on the day.
Leigh, 44, from Larbert, has already surpassed her initial fundraising goal of £500, and she hopes to “double, or even triple” that goal.
For Leigh, the cause crosses personal and professional lines. Her family has a history of breast cancer - her mum had breast cancer and underwent a double mastectomy and lymph node removal, and both Leigh and her sister are considered to be at moderate risk of developing the disease.
In her professional life, Leigh qualified as a nurse in 2024 and has a true passion for working in the breast clinic. She finished her Honours degree in Professional Studies in Nursing this year, and each of her essays were centred on the disease.
She said: “This is a cause that is particularly close to my heart, both personally and professionally. I’d like to eventually be a breast nurse, it’s a passion of mine.”
The nurse isn’t alone in her efforts, as staff and businesses have helped back the fundraising event. Some colleagues donated luxury items to the prize raffle, including a Louis Vuitton scarf and a coffee machine, while businesses have been offering up what they can for the cause.
Leigh said: “I’ve been overwhelmed by how generous businesses have been, probably about 80 per cent of the businesses I’ve been to have all donated something.
“Everyone has totally backed me in this. It’s taken a lot, every weekend I’ve spent going around businesses trying to get donations, making posters, and doing what I can for the cause.”
Donations of money or gifts, big or small, are all welcomed by Leigh as she strives to do as much as she can for the charity.
All money raised will go towards Breast Cancer Now’s research as they work towards a cure for cancer, and Leigh hopes the fundraiser will raise awareness of the charity at the same time.
Those looking to donate can do so via Leigh’s JustGiving page. For people looking to donate gifts for the raffle, Leigh has asked that they contact her through her email, [email protected].