Charity ball will honour dedicated and well known Burnley nurse who battled cancer for five years

The daughter of a Burnley nurse, whose pioneering ideas for the treatment of children with diabetes were taken on board by the hospital where she worked, is organising a charity ball to celebrate her mum's life.
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All the proceeds from the ball will be donated to Pendleside Hospice in memory of Karen Archer who had hoped to stage the event herself before she died in November last year at the age of 61 after a five year battle against cancer.

So Karen's daughter, Vickie Wilson, decided to honour her mum's wishes and the ball will be held on Friday, March 6th, in the James Hargreaves suite at Burnley Football Club.

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And althought it is billed as a red carpet event, there is no formal dress code and a hot buffet will be served.

Karen Archer, who died last year at the age of 61 after a five year cancer  battle, with her son and daughter Wayne and Vickie.Karen Archer, who died last year at the age of 61 after a five year cancer  battle, with her son and daughter Wayne and Vickie.
Karen Archer, who died last year at the age of 61 after a five year cancer battle, with her son and daughter Wayne and Vickie.

Vickie said: "I want it to be the type of party my my mum would have really enjoyed with people dancing and having fun.

"People can wear that they want, the important thing is for them to come."

Vocalist Gavin Young will entertain guests and there will also be a disco, raffle and auction.

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And Vickie has created a special memory board for people to post photographs of their family members and friends who they have lost to cancer.

Vickie (left) is planning to do a sky dive with her friend Kelly Johnson.Vickie (left) is planning to do a sky dive with her friend Kelly Johnson.
Vickie (left) is planning to do a sky dive with her friend Kelly Johnson.

She said: "This night is not just about my mum, it is about all the families who have lost someone and how cancer can affect so many lives.

"We want to recognise them and what they have gone through and how lives are changed forever."

To boost the funds Vickie and her two friends, Padiham hairdresser and beauty therapist Kelly Garnett and Liam Murray of Burnley, will be attempting a sky dive in two weeks.

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During her career Karen worked as a diabetic specialist at Burnley General Hospital before she became a paediatric sister at Nuffield Private Hospital in Leeds. Karen was lauded for her dedication to her role and still features on posters promoting the hospital.

Karen with her son Wayne and her little grandson Henry who is now five.Karen with her son Wayne and her little grandson Henry who is now five.
Karen with her son Wayne and her little grandson Henry who is now five.

Vickie said: "My mum came up with a lot of new ideas to help children manage their diabetes that the hospital took on board."

One of Karen's ideas was to create her own series of stories based around the iconic Mr Men series and she was given permission to use the original characters by the franchise that owns the books written by Roger Hargreaves.

Karen, who was a student at the former St Hilda's RC High School in Burnley, still continued to work even after her cancer diagnosis and subsequent rounds of chemotherapy. She remained cheerful, positive and upbeat and was given a new lease of life when her grandson Henry was born on Christmas Eve in 2014.

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Vickie said: "Mum was in the next bed to me in the hospital waiting for her second round of chemotherapy.

"When Henry was born she was absolutely delighted, she adored him."

Karen, who received therapy at Pendleside Hospice, threw a massive party at Burnley Football Club to mark her 60th birthday in 2018 and just days before she died she attended a fireworks display with her family, including her son, Wayne Lord, at Greenbrook Church in Burnley.

Vickie said: "In the five years we had together after her diagnosis we did so much and ticked a lot off her bucket list including going to Disneyland and Jamaica.

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"Nothing was left unsaid between us and I still feel like she is guiding me now in spirit."

Tickets for the ball are £25 a head and anyone who would like to buy them is asked to contact Vickie by email on [email protected]