Leaf charity threatened with closure appeals for help

Natasha was diagnosed with leukaemia three weeks after giving birth to her second son

A charity that has helped hundreds of cancer patients in the last 16 years is appealing for help after it was threatened with closure.

Natasha Hunt set up Leukaemia Educating and Fundraising (Leaf) in 2005, when she was diagnosed with the disease.

She has said Leaf has so far helped hundreds of blood cancer patients across Dorset and Hampshire.

But it would have no choice but to close in September if no extra funds are raised over the summer.

Leaf provides patients and their family with a range of services including emotional support, food shopping and transport to hospital.

Ms Hunt, a hairdresser from Wimborne, set it up during the six months she spent in isolation at Poole Hospital after being diagnosed with leukaemia.

The mother-of-three said over the years she had been supported by volunteers and the charity relied on donations and fundraising events.

But donations dropped since the start of the pandemic and last month she was forced to cancel a fundraising event for the first time in 16 years, due to a decline in the number of participants.

She thinks the current cost of living crisis is "the icing on the cake".

'Devastating'

Ms Hunt has said that while the charity needs £4,000 a month to be viable, there have recently been months with no income at all.

"Times are really changing. I feel extremely upset about it because it has been 16 years of hard work emotionally and physically," she said.

She said she fears the impact on patients and their families would be "devastating".

"I think it would be a scary place for them as it was for myself when I did not have anyone locally," she added.

"I feel extremely upset about it. It really worries me."

But she has said she hopes to raise enough funding in the coming months.