WHEN Geoffrey Evans, of Corner Park Farm, Reynalton, celebrated his 80th birthday recently, instead of presents, he asked for donations to a charity very close to his heart.

Mr. Evans celebrated becoming an octogenarian with a party at home.

Donations were invited for Fanconi Hope, a national charitable trust which was set-up in 2008, by parents of children suffering from Fanconi Anaemia, an extremely rare genetic disorder causing bone marrow failure and a predisposition to cancer.

Sadly, Geoff’s granddaughter, Francesca, became critically ill in 2014, aged just seven, when her bone marrow failed. She had numerous blood and platelet transfusions until such time that a bone marrow transplant was needed.

In October 2014, Francesca was prepared for transplant by a course of chemotherapy and then transplantation of stem cells from an unknown UK donor. Francesca is now three years post transplant, is currently fit and healthy and has just started secondary school. She attends a London hospital every eight weeks and will continue to do so.

Geoff requested no presents for his 80th birthday, instead a donation could be made to this wonderful charity in order for more crucial research in the UK.

Coincidently, Francesca and family were attending a conference in the North of England the weekend of Geoff’s birthday. It was the only conference of its kind in the UK, otherwise they would have to travel to the USA. They met consultants from the UK, Germany and USA. Francesca is taking part in a worldwide study on reducing the burden of squamous cell carcinoma in fanconi anaemia patients.

Geoff would like to thank everyone who attended his party and made donations. He would also like to thank Mrs. Knox and Sharon for the catering, Jess Ward for the folk music, and Nick Pudsey, of Pembrokeshire Video Productions, for the video.