A DINAS Powys woman has helped raise a record breaking amount for the Teenage Cancer Trust.

Lara Cowpe, along with the Teen Spirit fundraising committee, raised more than £16,000 by organising and hosting a masquerade ball at the Holland House Hotel in Cardiff.

The event, which was nine months in the planning, marked the fifth birthday of the Teenage Cancer Trust unit at the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff.

The fourth ‘October Ball’ far outweighed expectations with more than 330 guests attending from all over South Wales and beyond. The event featured a raffle, tombola, auction and silent auction with over £7000 bid on the auction alone, raised a total of £16, 533.

A whisky roll at midnight, sponsored by Cardiff Round Table, went down a treat.

The Big What?! Band gave up their time free of charge for the second year running and helped get everyone in the party mood. Ambience Venue Styling, Cardiff, helped to set the scene in the hotels’ spectacular Calon Suite.

Samantha Peach generously donated 25 per cent of sales on masks from her website

For the first time the event was sponsored, with Dinas Powys Rotary Club helping to sponsor the caricaturist, Picasso Griffiths and, of course, raise the profit.

Another first was a sponsorship from Cardiff Bay Rotary Club who sponsored a table for young people from the Cardiff unit to attend the event.

The night featured speeches, one from a patient, Ceinwen Stone, who is 24-years-old and had very severe aplastic anaemia.

Simon Baston gave a parents perspective after his son was treated successfully at the Cardiff unit.

Both gave personal insight of the treatment and care received by young people and their families on the Teenage Cancer Trust unit in Cardiff. Guests were visibly touched by these stories and it really helps to make experiences real and demonstrate to guests where their money goes and how it helps.

Chairwoman of Teen Spirit Lara, who was nominated for a St David Award last year for her work fundraising for the TCT, said: "This year’s event was extra special, helping to mark the fifth birthday of the only Teenage Cancer Trust unit in Wales. We had really set the bar high last year with over £11,200 raised and nearly 300 guests. We did wonder how we could top it! But our guests and supporters came back on mass and brought friends and colleagues with them. Items for the raffle and auction were donated from people and businesses across Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan and further afield too. There are so many people to thank, I cannot list them all here but want them to know how much their contribution is valued by me and Teen Spirit.

Olympic torchbearer Lara added: "It is very heart-warming to know that our guests enjoy the night so much to support us year on year. Without them, the event would not be the success that it is and we would not have raised so much money and awareness of this worthy cause. The atmosphere was indescribable.

It was such a wonderful night."

Lara, who has raised more than £50,000 for charity, added: "The unit here in Cardiff is unique. It is the only one in Wales. We want to help raise money for the cause to keep this unit open and running for young people in Wales. We also strive to raise as much awareness as we can of teenage cancer.”

Teen Spirit in aid of Teenage Cancer Trust won a Wales Volunteer of the year award in 2013 and their chair Lara is a St David Award finalist.

If you are interested in Teen Spirits work please visit our facebook page https://www.facebook.com/TeenSpirit4TCT or email us at teenspiritcardiff@gmail.com

To support Teenage Cancer Trust in South Wales please contact Debbie Jones on debbie.jones@teenagecancertrust.org or call 07985 471429. For more information on Teenage Cancer Trust visit www.teenagecancertrust.org