During the Whitby goth festivities, Whitby Town FC kindly lends its facilities for a football match between a team of goths (Real Gothic) and a team of Whitby Gazette employees and guests (Athletico Gazette).
It originally started to help raise fu
nds for the new stand.
As the event got more popular, we soon saw this as an opportunity to fund-raise for other local causes which to date have included Whitby Dog Rescue and St Catherine's Whitby Day Hospice.
This time, however, we have decided to donate to someone very close to our hearts.
Melanie Denyer (aka DJ Lucy*Fur) has been a vital member of the Whitby Gothic Weekend crew for many years and a rock for WGW promoter Jo Hoyle.
Mel was first diagnosed with small cell ovarian cancer in 2006.
DJ Lucy*Fur aka Mel Denyer, left, with founder and organiser of Whitby Gothic Weekend, Jo Hoyle
It is a particularly aggressive and fast-growing form of cancer.
After a lengthy operation and many chemotherapy sessions, she was finally given the all clear in early 2007.
Chronic pain took her back to her doctors who, in November 2007, confirmed the worst.
A scan had shown a recurrence and secondary cancers which have now become inoperable.
She is just 37 years old.
Members of Whitby Gothic Weekend forums started fund-raising initially for a chance of further treatments abroad.
It has now become apparent that any money raise will go towards making Mel's final months – possibly weeks – as comfortable as possible.
Melanie should be at this Whitby Gothic Weekend but, sadly, this is now an impossibility.
We are running a raffle throughout the weekend which businesses from Whitby have already kindly contributed to.
The raffle will be drawn after the football on Sunday in the WTFC clubhouse and all proceeds will go to Mel.
A limited edition souvenir match programme is also being produced with all proceeds going to the fund.
You can donate a raffle prize by dropping them into the Whitby Gazette offices in Bridge Street for the attention of Jon Stokoe.
Alternatively, please support the cause by attending the football match where you can make a donation or buy some raffle tickets.
The full article contains 362 words and appears in Whitby Gazette Friday newspaper.
