Woman honoured for her work with leukaemia patients
A woman from Cambridge has been honoured with a national award for her work transforming the lives of leukaemia patients.
Sylvia Morris set up the Karen Morris Memorial Trust in memory of her daughter who died from the disease 15 years ago.
She was presented with a 'British Citizen Award' at a ceremony in London last week.
In the last months of her life, Karen Morris campaigned to raise awareness of leukaemia and get more people on the bone marrow register. After her death, Karen's family started a project called 'Karen's Homes from Home' to continue the work she had started.
The aim of the project is to provide private, onsite accommodation for the families of people who are being treated for leukaemia in hospital so that they can stay together in their greatest time of need.
Since 1999 the charity has raised nearly 2 million pounds and now provides private accommodation at four of the country's leading leukaemia hospitals, including Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge.
The comedian Matt Lucas was a close friend of Karen's and is a patron of the Karen Morris Memorial Trust.
He told ITV News Anglia: "I'm so pleased Sylvia is receiving this honour. She has worked tirelessly to improve the lives of those suffering from and affected by leukaemia."