PEOPLE who survive ovarian cancer know how lucky they are.

Fiona Hawkins, from Fownhope, is one of those and is willing to give up her time to raise funds which could lead to early diagnosis and a better chance for others.

She supported the Eve Appeal, established five years ago to aid research into gynaecological cancers and in particular its pioneering research into ovarian cancer.

The charity asked people to hold tea parties to raise funds but Fiona, who teaches eight yoga classes a week, and her husband Peter, who runs an independent distribution service for EverLiving products, rarely have any time at tea time.

So she used her two businesses to raise awareness and funds. A qualified lyengar yoga teacher, she was given free use of the hall at Hampton Park United Reform Church in Hereford for a class and all the fees were donated to the cause.

She also held aloe parties. “I found that drinking aloe vera during my own treatment kept me well and able to continue teaching yoga throughout,” she said.

Fiona is now able to send the Eve Appeal around £440 for the cause and at the same time raise local awareness about ovarian cancer – of which the UK is said to have one of the highest rates in the world.