Stars out for glitzy ball
8:48am Thursday 18th October 2012 in News
PREMIER League referee Mark Halsey and his wife Michelle were among the guests at a glamorous fundraising ball in aid of the hospital which helped him to beat cancer.
The couple, who have both been diagnosed with cancer, attended The Christie Charity Ball along with a host of famous faces.
Mark, aged 51, who lives in Little Lever, was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2009 and was a former patient of the cancer specialist hospital.
He returned to refereeing in March 2010 after going into remission the previous December.
His wife Michelle was diagnosed with leukaemia in 2009. The ball took place at the weekend at Lancashire County Cricket Club, and featured performances from Marcus Collins, runner up on The X Factor last year, and Jaz Ellington, who reached the semi-finals of the BBC's new talent show The Voice.
Entertainment included spectacular aerial artistes who served champagne to guests — who included Coronation Street stars Katy Cavanagh and Ian Puleston-Davies, as well as resident doctor of ITV’s This Morning, Dr Chris Steele.
Ex-rugby league player and Christie patient Steve Prescott also attended.
The ball was held to raise money for a new haematology and transplant unit (HTU) at The Christie.
The Christie’s chief executive Caroline Shaw said: “Thank you so much to everyone who came to our charity ball — your incredible generosity meant we raised almost £110,000 to help cancer patients at The Christie.
“Every penny will go towards our new HTU, which will enhance the outcomes and experience for hundreds of patients diagnosed with leukaemia and lymphoma each year. Without this support for our charity, The Christie would not be the exceptional place it is for our patients and their families. Your help this evening has brought us a huge step closer to making this new unit a reality. Thank you again — it was a spectacular evening. I was delighted to see so many of our friends there and welcome lots of new supporters.”
