The Caulkheads pub is pleased to host a family fun day from 11am on Saturday 15th April, raising money for a rare cancer treatment to save the life of local Sandown resident, Suzanne Bulmer.

Open to all, visitors to the fun day can expect a bouncy castle, face painting, live music, children’s entertainers, performers and more.

Thanks to the generosity of Island businesses, there will be a raffle offering a host of brilliant prizes including window cleaning vouchers, tattoo and aesthetics vouchers, tasty cupcakes from a local bakery, ferry tickets, a hotel stay – the list goes on.

Entry to the fun day cost just £3 per person, with all money collected and donations made on the day going towards the lifesaving treatment Suzanne needs.

Support from local businesses and people wanting to be a part of the fundraiser has been overwhelming, the Island community coming together to help raise the £80,000 needed for 48-year-old Suzanne to start a revolutionary cancer treatment – Chemosaturation – to save her life.

Diagnosed with a rare ocular melanoma in her left eye which left her blind and the eye having to be removed, Suzanne was told by doctors there was a 50 per cent chance the cancer may one day affect her liver.

Tragically, a recent scan showed that the melanoma Suzanne was diagnosed with thirteen years ago had returned and metastasised to her liver.

Almost all cancer treatments are completely ineffective in cases of metastatic ocular melanoma, except Chemosaturation, a proven cancer treatment not currently available on the NHS.

Each round of this lifesaving procedure will cost £40,000 and depending on how her body responds to the treatment, Suzanne may need up to six rounds costing as much as £240,000.

Suzanne’s daughter, Emma is leading the fundraising to help get her beloved Mum the treatment she needs,

“Anyone that knows my Mum knows what a beautiful, kind, and lovely person she is. She is only 48 years old. She is the most amazing mum to me, my sister, my two teenage brothers, and our three little dogs that adore her so much!

“We need her here with us. She has so much life to live and love to give. In 2021, NICE approved Chemosaturation as a safe and effective treatment for improving overall survival, helping to maintain quality of life as symptoms are typically much more easily managed than many other cancer treatments.

“Post Chemosaturation, patients can live symptom-free and experience a prolonging of life that may not be possible without this treatment. I can’t imagine life without my Mum. This fundraising attempt is our biggest hope of keeping her here with us where she belongs.”

The Caulkheads Family Funday Fundraiser is open to all to attend. Pop in for five minutes to make a donation or stay for the day and play, it all helps with raising the money needed to get Suzanne this vital treatment to enjoy life with her family.

For those who can’t attend the fundraiser but who would like to help, donations can be made via a Just Giving Page set up by Suzanne’s family.

Anything you can give is gratefully received.

A huge thank you to all of the businesses already supporting the event with entertainment on the day and prizes for the auction and raffle.

If you’d like to get involved in the Family Funday Fundraiser by offering your services or a prize, please call The Caulkheads: 01983 405 080.