A WIRRAL woman is raising cash by abseiling down Liverpool’s Anglican Cathedral for the charity that helped her aunt 

Cliona Kelly, from Wallasey will battle her fear for heights for Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation, the charity that helped her aunt Sylvia Sloan who was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2013.

Cliona said: “Auntie Sylvia never complains so even though she’d had a cough for about a year, she just passed it off as ‘one of those things’ but eventually she did go the doctor when she started coughing up blood.

“Straight away she was told that yes it was serious and they had found a tumour on her lung.

“After the diagnosis she had chemotherapy for three months at Belfast City Hospital.

“In November she had surgery in which they removed part of her lung. Obviously that was a tough time for her and my mum. She and mum are like peas in a pod.

“Aunty Sylvia’s just such a lovely person – we were all very worried.”

After 14 months a check-up revealed a second tumour on the remaining section of her lung.

Cliona added: “When she got ill again, we told her she’s done it once and now she can do it again.

“She started radiotherapy in autumn and had 20 doses in all, which left her very weak and poorly, so much so that she was in bed for more than six weeks and couldn’t even get out of bed over Christmas and New Year.

“But she battled through it all and made us all so proud.

“Where there is great love there are often miracles and loved she certainly is.”

Sylvia has pulled through and on June 29 was told that there has been no change in her lung since January.

Cliona will be one of 25 people who will take on the Abseil Challenge on Saturday, August 5 to raise funds to support the work of Roy Castle who gave practical support and information to Sylvia and her family.

Sporting events fundraising officer Hannah Traynor said: “Cliona is very brave to face her fear of heights in this way.

“She’s an inspiration to us all – if anyone else fancies the idea of taking part, we’d love to hear from them.

“Every penny we raise can make a big difference. Sylvia’s story shows us that.”