The Sunshine Group, led by the MWOTY 2023 Women Making a Difference category winner, Ann Coffey, has received the King’s Award for Voluntary Services – the MBE for volunteers and the highest accolade awarded to volunteers for their contribution to society.
The breast cancer support group was established 25 years ago for patients of Aintree University Hospital and Royal Liverpool University Hospital, Funded by University Hospitals of Liverpool Charity. It supports women who are going through breast cancer, from diagnosis, during treatment and after.
Run by a small group of volunteers, The Sunshine Group is steered by women for women. It raises funds throughout the year via various charity events that are organised on a regular basis.
Ann Coffey has been leading the group for the past 13 years, offering monthly meet ups and a range of activities, from guest speakers, health trainers, days out, evening meals and even lingerie shows. Members attending the sessions are also signposted to other outside agencies for help and support.
Retreats are often set up by Ann, as well as several other trained volunteers who have also survived breast cancer. The retreats take place at Aintree Hospital and provide patients with holistic treatments such as lymphedema hand, arm, feet and leg massages, Reiki and reflexology following referrals by clinics at both Aintree and the Royal Liverpool University Hospital.
Former head teacher, Ann, is herself a breast cancer survivor, who underwent vigorous treatment for lobular breast cancer at Aintree Hospital Breast Clinic after being diagnosed in 2010. Ann has since had a mastectomy, reconstruction surgery, radiotherapy and ten years of Tamoxifen hormonal therapy. In 2013, she was asked to take over the running of the Sunshine Group and it has since grown from six members to over 500.
Ann said: “I am incredibly proud of everything that the Sunshine Group has achieved and it was a huge honour to receive this award on behalf of the group. Through the dedication of our wonderful volunteers, we are able to offer invaluable support to patients and families of those undergoing treatment for breast cancer, and I know first-hand the difference this can make.”
MWOTY Founding Director, Ellie Kerr, said: “We would like to congratulate Ann and the Sunshine Group on this incredible and well-deserved achievement. The vital support it has provided for hundreds of women is absolutely worthy of this recognition.
“When Ann’s nomination for her work with The Sunshine Group landed on the MWOTY judging table, we knew she had achieved something really special and we wanted to ensure that she and the group were seen, found and heard – as far and as widely as possible.
“Leveraging the MWOTY connections, Ann was able to gather information to ensure before starting the process that the Sunshine Group fulfilled the essential voluntary sector criteria required for the award, given its highly rigorous standards.
“It is a tremendous honour for the Sunshine Group to receive this accolade under Ann’s leadership and we are immensely proud of the award for the team and to have helped achieve such a merited accolade.’
To find out more about The Sunshine Group, visit: https://sunshinegroup.org.uk/
