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Memorial bench unveiled at park for Sally

Anyone who sits down on a bench dedicated to Sally Cooper may be in for a shock, as the lady herself could turn up to join them.

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The wooden bench at Bloxwich Park has been placed there in honour of the woman who is a cancer survivor.

Most of the time such benches are dedicated to someone who has passed away, but the engraving on the 52-year-old's seat reads: 'Sally Cooper loved sitting here…and still does thanks to everyone who Stands Up To Cancer'.

Sally standing at her bench

It has been put at the beauty spot as one of a series being placed around the UK as part of Cancer Research UK's Stand Up To Cancer campaign.

Sally herself has suffered from cervical cancer but she is not the only one of her family to face the disease.

Her son, Martin, then 26, was also diagnosed with testicular cancer while she was going through treatment and sadly while they were both recovering, her mother Kathleen Vernon, was diagnosed with womb cancer and died in 2010. A year later, Sally's brother, Graham, developed prostate cancer.

Sally, who lives in Walsall, is now enjoying her eighth year in remission after being treated with surgery followed by chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Martin also survived and has given her two grandchildren and her brother is well enough to enjoy the occasional round of golf.

Sally said: "If it weren't for research Martin, my brother and I wouldn't be here. Every time I sit on my bench it will bring a smile to my face as I remember how lucky we all are to be alive."

Bloxwich Park has special significance for Sally because she says the beauty of the location gave her hope when life seemed grim.

The bench at Bloxwich Park

She continued: "I'm delighted this wonderful bench in my favourite park has been dedicated to me. When life seemed unfair during my treatment I used to come here to walk the dog and look at the flowers, and it used to give me hope.

"This bench is a great way of showing that people can survive this devastating disease.

"I hope everyone who sees it will be inspired to help create more tomorrows for people like me and my family by joining Stand Up To Cancer and raising money for life-saving research."

Sally with her mum Kathleen Vernon

Jane Redman, Cancer Research UK's spokesperson for the West Midlands, added: "We are used to seeing benches dedicated to people who have passed away so we hope this unusual inscription will encourage people to think and reflect on the incredible progress that's been made in the last 40 years. More people are surviving cancer than ever before."

A joint fundraising campaign from Cancer Research UK and Channel 4, Stand Up To Cancer is raising money to fund vital research to get better treatments to cancer patients faster.

It will culminate in a live TV fundraiser on Channel 4 at 7.30pm on October 17 hosted by Davina McCall, Alan Carr and Dr Christian Jessen. The trio will front a star studded night of television, jam packed with programming from entertainment and science to documentaries. It will feature some of Channel 4's and the UK's best loved talent as well as respected cancer researchers.

In the 1970s, only one in four people would survive cancer. Now, two in four survive but in the next 20 years, Cancer Research UK aims to accelerate progress to see three in four people survive the disease.

Stand Up To Cancer took place for the first time in the UK in 2012 and raised more than £8 million for ground-breaking research.

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