Burton Echo’s Tom Drysdale takes a trip down to Mercia Marina to meet some courageous volunteers looking to make a difference for teenage cancer patients and their families.

Tanya, Gail, Hannah and Zoe of Hannah’s Hope

Meeting at the Marina

Mercia Marina, the biggest inland marina in the whole of Europe, a sprawling 74 acres of land, with shops and restaurants. And, prospectively, it may end up being the site of a retreat for teenage cancer patients and their families. This is the ambitious goal of Hannah's Hope charity.

I wandered down to the marina, a pleasant walk along the canal from my gaff, which is always a bonus! I arrived at Compamigos, a bar and tapas restaurant that resides on the marina. Gail had suggested we meet there, as they've been incredibly supportive of the charity.

As I climbed the stairs to the restaurant area, I was greeted by Gail, Hannah, Zoe, and Tanya. All of them were there to chat about Hannah's Hope and the incredible work they've been doing.

Hannah's Story: Turning Adversity into Hope

Back in 2022, Hannah, aged 19 at the time, was diagnosed with grade 4 glioblastoma, a fast-growing and cancerous brain tumour. She and her family had to raise a whopping £270,000 to go to the USA for specialist treatment.

Following that, Gail, a trustee for Hannah’s Hope and Hannah’s mum, went on a caravan trip with Hannah in Ashbourne. Gail explained they had “loads of time to talk” and she asked Hannah what she wanted to do with the time she had left. In response, Hannah wanted to do something for those going through what she did. The place they were staying in Ashbourne served as further inspiration, as Hannah and Gail agreed it would be brilliant if a respite, similar to where they were staying, was available for teenage cancer patients and their families after treatment.

“When I was in hospital, the one place I did not want to be was in hospital,” Hannah explained. “When you are going through chemo and radiotherapy, sometimes you just sit there and go, I’m so sick of that. Sitting in the hospital staring at the same floor and walls.”

Hannah wanted to create an escape from the mundanity of adult hospitals. She explained that in children's hospitals, there are various activities that patients can partake in. This isn't the case in adult hospitals, which means it can be a daunting place, especially for teenagers and young adults.

A Lodge at Mercia Marina: The Dream Takes Shape

In April 2024, Hannah’s Hope registered with the Charities Commission and began its mission to create a respite for teenage cancer patients and their families. They were able to source a plot of land at The Mercia Marina, and they are currently well on the way to raising the £203,000 needed to buy the plot of land and build a lodge there. So far, they’ve raised over £183,000.

One thing Gail emphasised was that the lodge wouldn't just be for teenagers and young adults going through cancer treatments, but also for their families. Gail explained that the lodge would be a safe space for families to be able to share their experiences and, in the future, they would like to have psychological support for the residents at the lodge as well.

There is also the potential that this goes past Derbyshire, and into other areas also. The sky’s the limit for Hannah’s Hope. However, their primary focus has been the fundraising for the plot at the Mercia Marina.

Fundraising Efforts: A Community United

I asked about the different ways they've been able to fundraise the money. To say they've been proactive would be an understatement. They run everything from quiz nights to fundraisers and everything in between.

Gail mentioned they ran a shop in collaboration with the Mercia Marina for four and a half months. This enabled them to raise over £65,000. They sold everything from clothes, handbags, and stationery, just to name a few. They all agreed that this helped by allowing the charity to have face-to-face communications with the public. Tanya explained that the pop-up shop acted as a “base for people to drop donations,” while Zoe added, “People wanted to come in and have a chat, people wanted to see you and ask about how Hannah was doing.”

Currently, Zoe is working with Repton School organising a ‘half swimathon’ due to take place on the 18th of May. Zoe told me they are expecting up to 250 people swimming, including Olympian Adam Peaty!

The Driving Force: Mothers and Volunteers

One thing that became very clear during the conversation I had with Hannah, Gail, Tanya, and Zoe was the drive each of them possessed. Hannah wanted to use her time to create something with a long-lasting and positive impact. Gail, Tanya, and Zoe have all been involved in the world of business and have brought their various expertise from their individual backgrounds.

However, one main driving factor for their drives is their shared collective identity as mothers. Tanya and Gail have been close for a long time. However, Zoe came on board as a volunteer initially, but they quickly realised she had a lot to give to the charity. Gail told me, “As a mum you go, this could happen to my child, and that's the defining factor to it all, it could happen to anybody.”

Get Involved: Corporate Sponsors and Community Involvement

Currently, Hannah’s Hope is looking for corporate sponsors, something Zoe has been working extremely hard on, to help with the ongoing running costs of the lodges once they are built. This is in addition to the people running fundraising events and donating.

Several events are happening in the coming months which you can get involved with also. These include:

Garden King
9am - 5pm 1st March
The Repton Play
13th - 15th March
Hilton Bingo Quiz Night
15th March
Breedon Coffee Morning
9:30am - 12:30 pm 22nd March
Hilton Car Boot Sale
11am - 3pm 23rd March
The Marina Easter Event
9am - 5pm 19th April
Stretton Food & Drink Fair
12pm - 5pm 11th May
Peak District Treasure Hunt
17th May
Repton Hannah’s Half Swimathon
18th May

Hannah’s Hope operates a Facebook page where you can stay up to date with all the latest goings on, they also have a Just Giving page where you can donate or fundraise for their cause.

A Lasting Impression

I finished my drink and said my goodbyes to Hannah and co. I was left with a smile on my face. Hannah, her family, and friends had turned what is a life-changing diagnosis into something extremely positive. I’ve been inspired to look at what I can do myself to fundraise for the charity (stay tuned for that!). They are a worthy cause with worthy and lofty ambitions, a great example of innovation and great contributions to our community.

By Tom Drysdale

Have a positive community story to share? Email Tom Drysdale at teamburtonecho@gmail.com, and we’ll do our best to bring it to life!

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Hannah's Hope: A Marina Dream for Teenage Cancer Patients.