AN inspirational Barnsley mum who lost her son to a rare form of cancer in 2022 and has since gone onto campaign for more awareness is set to host a charity ball for young people with the illness.
Brandon Hackett, who lived in the town centre, was a ‘fit young lad’ who went to the gym and had a particular interest in weightlifting and powerlifting.
In August 2021, he started to get back pains that got progressively worse.
He, along with his mum, Clare Hackett-Eager, went to the doctor only to be told that they believed it was just an overworked muscle from the gym.
The pain continued to worsen and physio sessions didn’t work and neither did the stretches he was told to do.
He was eventually diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma a type of cancer that begins as a growth of cells in the bones and mainly affects young people leaving 19-year-old Brandon and his family devastated.
It left him paralysed from the waist down and he underwent nine months of ‘harsh’ chemotherapy and radiotherapy, endless infections and transfusions.
He died in September 2022 and his mum has since been on a campaigning mission to raise awareness.
At last year’s Proud of Barnsley awards Clare was one of the winners in the Exceptional Achievement category and she’s still on a mission to support young people with cancer.
She is now planning a charity ball to raise more vital funds for rare bone cancers in young people.
Clare’s Charity Ball will take place on Saturday October 11 from 7pm at The Fairway in Dodworth.
The event is expected to be a huge celebration, timed around what would have been her son Brandon’s 24th birthday and will raise vital donations for Teenage Cancer Trust and Bone Cancer Research Trust.
Due to overwhelming support, tickets have already sold out and Clare is appealing to her local community for support with raffle and auction prizes to help maximise the funds raised.
Clare said: “I had a tattoo saying ‘A warrior’s legacy lives on in his mother’s heart’.
“He’s my warrior and as long as I am here I will carry on for him to raise money and awareness.”
Her fundraising efforts to date include two Tough Mudders, raffles, a sky dive and even teaching herself to crochet animals for young cancer patients.
Her upcoming challenges include running the Great North Run in September and if successful in the ballot, the London Marathon in 2026 both in support of Teenage Cancer Trust.
Chloe Walker, relationship manager at Teenage Cancer Trust, said: “No teenager or young adult should ever have to face cancer alone.
“The commitment from inspiring people like Clare means that Teenage Cancer Trust can fund expert nurses to provide care and comfort, and experienced youth workers to help them cope with emotional distress.
“None of this would be possible without fundraisers like Clare.”
