Lorna Dempsey, a production manager with weavers of luxury accessories Alex Begg, Ayr, kicked off the New Year at Prestwick Beach for the windswept photocall with fellow members of the newly formed Business Beats Cancer Ayrshire Board. Lorna, who is chairwoman of the new fundraising board, was first inspired to fundraise for Cancer Research UK 16 years ago after a friend died from breast cancer aged 32.

Tickets are on sale now for the Business Beats Cancer Ayrshire Board’s first fundraising event, a dinner to be held on Friday June 17 at Turnberry Resort. Real Housewives of Jersey TV star Tessa Hartmann, who has overcome breast cancer will be guest speaker at the event which will also include a charity auction.

Lorna said: “I am proud to launch Business Beats Cancer Ayrshire, the first non-city event surrounded by a top team. We aim to inspire local businesses to support Cancer Research UK and do everything we can to help people who are going through cancer.”

“Our first Business Beats Cancer dinner in Ayrshire will be a creative, impactful and inspirational event, the perfect chance to build strong business relationships within Ayrshire and beyond. We are thrilled to be supported by Dr Tessa Hartmann CBE for our first ever event. She’s a top businesswoman with her own cancer journey. It’s an honour to have the chance to bring business people together to network and fundraise, helping create better treatments for cancer and to create more tomorrows for individuals and their families.”

Glasgow-born mum of four Tessa, who now lives in Jersey, is fit and well after being treated for breast cancer in 2017. She believes being open about her own cancer experience will encourage others to get any unusual changes checked out by a doctor.

Tessa said: “I’m delighted to support the inaugural Business Beats Cancer dinner in June. As a supporter of Cancer Research UK and having experienced my own breast cancer journey, I am on a mission to change the conversation about ‘cancer’ and indeed the language. Though certainly not taboo, for me the word ‘cancer’ had too many negative connotations. And so, I called my new boob Barbra – after the great Barbra Streisand – hence #LoveYourBarbra was conceived and born. By naming my boob Barbra and singing ‘Don’t rain on my parade’, I gave myself, my husband and four young children something to smile about and it added some welcome levity to the topic of cancer by making it less traumatic and emotional. Even my friends felt less intimidated to ask about ‘Barbra’ and how I was doing. #LoveYourBarbra is therefore a label, which is dedicated to support incredible charities like Cancer Research UK and the invaluable research and work that they do.”

Last year, Cancer Research UK spent nearly £30 million in Scotland on scientific and clinical research. All money raised from the dinner will be used to fund research in Scotland, enabling scientists to find new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer.

For further information about the Business Beats Cancer dinner and to book a table contact Amanda Harris on amanda.harris@cancer.org.uk or 07778 520372.

For more details on Cancer Research UK’s work or to find out how to support the charity, please call 0300 123 1022 or visit cruk.org.