DIAMONDS are forever and so, as a cancer charity hopes, is quality nursing.

DIAMONDS are forever and so, as a cancer charity hopes, is quality nursing.

Marie Curie Cancer Care is today inviting people to a glitzy ball in Ipswich to celebrate its 60th anniversary and raise money to help preserve the independence of its patients.

The charity wants to increase the number of carers in Suffolk so more people with the disease can live in the comfort of their own homes.

The Marie Curie Nursing Service, which looks after 300 patients in the county, recently doubled its number of carers by taking on another 14, but it hopes to bolster resources even further.

Judith Hall, fundraising manager for Suffolk and Norfolk, said: “We are passionate about people being able to be nursed at the place of their choice. It makes a vast difference to them.”

She is calling on people to book their tickets now for the Diamond Anniversary Ball, which takes place at the new conference and event centre at Trinity Park on Friday, October 17.

Tickets are on sale at £60 per person and they can be bought individually or in tables of ten.

They include a champagne reception, a meal, dancing and a charity casino - plus the chance to win some fantastic prizes in the auction and raffle hosted by John Bly, from the BBC's Antiques Roadshow.

Mrs Hall said: “There will be lots of glitz and glamour and we want people to have a fantastic time as well as dealing with a serious subject to get more nurses locally. We are hoping for around 250 people.”

Marie Curie employs more than 2,700 nurses, doctors and other healthcare professionals nationally and provides care to around 27,000 terminally ill patients.

To book tickets for the ball or for more information, please call Judith Hall on 01284 747385 or e-mail her at Judith.hall@mariecurie.org.uk

Have you or your family benefited from the Marie Curie charity? Write to Your Letters, The Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or send us an e-mail to eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk