COLLEGE students held a fun day on Tuesday to raise money in honour of an ‘inspirational’ teacher battling a rare form of cancer.

Juli Spendley, 51, Team Leader of Applied Science at Bournemouth and Poole College, was diagnosed with neuro-endochrine cancer in 2009, which involves tumours affecting the balance of hormones in different organs within the body.

Student Emma Cheeseman, 20, helped organise the fun day at The College’s North Road site, which featured a World Cup Brazil theme, with human table football and face painting, to raise money for the Juli Spendley Foundation.

Emma said: “We all love Juli to bits and think the world of her. I have finished my work on my course now and wanted to use my time wisely, so thought that we could raise money for the foundation.

“She is such an inspiration. Any time you are feeling down, you just have to talk to her and you start to feel better.”

Assistant student engagement officer, Emma Heath, who headed up the event, said: “We organise these fun events every term, but they are not always for charity. However, having been diagnosed with cancer in the colon myself, four years ago, I was only too keen to help.”

Juli says she set up the foundation, which has raised over £38,000 so far, to raise awareness and support others with the same form of cancer.

She said: “Neuro-endocrine cancer is very rare and very complex. I’ve got it in one of my lungs and it has spread to the liver and bones.

“There are not many treatments that work, I have found, but I’ve just had something called Radionuclide therapy at The Royal Free Hospital in London.

“We are looking at around £50,000 for that, which we do not have yet.

“I am so proud of the college, and the students, for all the support that they have offered to me throughout.”