A WIMBORNE based charity which supports blood cancer patients and their families in Dorset and Hampshire is celebrating its 15-year anniversary.

Natasha Hunt founded the charity LEAF – Leukaemia Educating and Fundraising – on Thursday February 25, 2006 from her hospital bed after she was diagnosed with Leukaemia just three weeks after giving birth to her second son.

After six months of chemotherapy and extensive treatment, the mother of three, now 43, was given the all clear in 2011.

Since then, she has helped grow the LEAF charity to provide practical and emotional support to hundreds of people across Dorset and Hampshire during its 15 years of operations.

Natasha said: “The charity has grown a lot over the years. My objective was to provide the support that I felt my family and I could’ve benefitted from when I was in hospital as well as returning home after such a long treatment period.

“I feel very privileged to be a part of a patients journey and I would like to think that after being 15 years cancer free, that I can offer them and their family first-hand advice, support and mostly hope.

“I have made lifelong friends with so many people that we have been involved with along the way and I feel lucky for that gift.”

The charity delivers both direct support to individuals and families, as well as providing equipment to Dorset Cancer Centre, and providing essential blood cancer related training for local nurses.

With the Prime Minister’s recent announcement about the easing of lockdown restrictions in April, Natasha has already begun plans on upcoming fundraising events for the charity.

She added: “I’ve organised a sponsored event for March which is to walk 300k steps during the month.

“We will also be making Easter gifts to sell and looking ahead for our annual Christmas ball at the end of December...fingers crossed.

“The one thing that I miss the most is holding a patient’s hand, I know that may sound silly but there is a warmth in doing that which is difficult to express in words.”

Although LEAF has been impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, it has continued to support for its clients providing food shopping and delivery, zoom calls for support and grants for patients who are financially finding it difficult.

Although Natasha said that the main reason why the charity is still going strong is because of its supporters.

“Our supporters have been key to the development and survival of the charity, especially over the last year and I am forever grateful to them,” she said.

“We are lucky enough to have some wonderful trustees and two celebrity patrons, actress Lesley Joseph and professional footballer Callum Wilson.

“We are desperately hoping to be able to hold some fundraising events this year as it is a real struggle, but I am determined that after 15 years that the charity will continue its work in supporting and caring blood cancer patients and their families.”

To find out more about LEAF and to donate, visit https://www.leafcharity.com/.