LAST year Claire Ellis was diagnosed with breast cancer.Thanks to early detection and prompt treatment at Ipswich Hospital, the 31-year-old has been given the all-clear.

LAST year Claire Ellis was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Thanks to early detection and prompt treatment at Ipswich Hospital, the 31-year-old has been given the all-clear.

To say thank-you to the staff she is organising a couple of fun days to raise money for the hospitals' breast cancer fund.

Both Ipswich events are taking place on the same day – Saturday April 12 – and will be held from 11am until 11pm at The Swan in King Street and at the Rose and Crown, Norwich Road.

A landscape gardener until her condition was diagnosed, Claire from Wherstead Road, Ipswich, has been filling in time between then and finding another gardening job by working with the Harmonix Karaoke Roadshow.

Because of her karaoke involvement it is no surprise to find out that a "pay to sing" session will feature at both pubs on the day along with a variety of other fun activities.

Claire said: "I wrote to hundreds of local companies to ask for donations for prizes and the response was so good that already we have 110 prizes for the raffles.

"There will also be tombola, games and, if the weather is fine, a barbecue too" she added.

Early detection of breast cancer gives a far greater chance of a successful cure and Claire said she will be forever grateful for the help she received during her treatment.

"I was diagnosed last July but with the early detection of the cancer and the technology and research that is available today I have now been given the all clear and I am on the road to recovery.

"There are a lot of women who are afraid to check themselves or go to their doctors in case they do have cancer but early detection can save lives.

"With new drugs and cures being found all the time there is no reason to be afraid anymore," she said.

"By trying to raise as much money as we can to help make breast cancer, and other cancers, a thing of the past, I hope lots of people come to the fun days, to either pub, to help," she added.