Lampeter Woman Raises £5,100 for Cancer Research Wales on 40th Birthday
Gwennan Jenkins, a resident of Lampeter, has expressed heartfelt gratitude to her friends, family, and local businesses for their support in raising an impressive £5,100 for Cancer Research Wales during her 40th birthday celebrations. Inspired by personal experiences, Gwennan decided to dedicate her milestone birthday to fundraising for the Welsh cancer research charity after her mother-in-law, Joyce Jenkins, and two close friends, both named Lowri, underwent treatment for breast cancer in recent years.
A Memorable Charity Gala
The fundraising event was a charity gala held at Tŷ Glyn in Ciliau Aeron, which featured an auction, a golden envelope raffle, and live music performed by the band Pwdin Reis. One of the evening's most touching moments was a surprise acapella performance by friends, who sang 'Angor' by Tudur Huws Jones—a song that had been part of Gwennan and her husband Carwyn's wedding day over a decade ago.
Gwennan shared her motivation, stating, "I wanted to celebrate the special birthday at the end of 2025 by getting friends and family together. I tend to live life to the full with no regrets, and so, with consent from my mother-in-law and two friends, we organised the charity gala at Tŷ Glyn." She described the gala dinner as a great evening, thanks to the overwhelming support and donations from attendees.
An Emotional Evening of Solidarity
The event proved to be deeply emotional, as most guests had been personally affected by cancer. Gwennan reflected on this, saying, "Looking at all those in attendance, every table had been affected by some type of cancer in recent years, and many had lost loved ones too—fathers, mothers, wives, and husbands. It meant so much to everyone and was quite an emotional evening." She also noted the loss of her grandad to cancer, highlighting the urgent need for continued research.
Gwennan emphasised the importance of advancing cancer treatments, explaining, "It was seeing the varying types of treatments my family and friends had received during their diagnosis which made me realise how important it is to keep researching so that treatments can move forward and give people hope and cure." She expressed sincere gratitude to friends and businesses who donated gifts, ensuring all proceeds went directly to Cancer Research Wales.
Support from Cancer Research Wales
Cancer Research Wales, established in 1996 as an independent Welsh cancer research charity, has acknowledged Gwennan's efforts. Carys Jenkins, the charity's fundraising manager, travelled from the head office in Cardiff to meet Gwennan and collect the £5,100 cheque.
Carys commented, "It was a pleasure to get to meet Gwennan and congratulate her in person for raising £5,100 for Cancer Research Wales with the charity gala dinner that she'd organised with her friends and family to mark her 40th birthday. Gwennan's dedication to the cause of cancer research in Wales is unquestionable, and she can rest assured that the money she raised will help make a real difference in uniting Wales against cancer through ground-breaking research."
This inspiring story from Lampeter showcases how community spirit and personal commitment can drive significant contributions to vital health causes, fostering hope and progress in the fight against cancer.
