Family of mum, 36, who died just four months after being diagnosed with cancer donate £25,000 to fund medical research

The family of a Shetland mum who died just four months after being diagnosed with cancer have donated £25,000 in her name to fund research into the disease.

Amanda Eunson is survived by her partner David Reid and sons Joe and Bobby, who were just two and 11 when she died in November 2021.

The 36-year-old had only been diagnosed with oesophageal cancer four months earlier.

After her tragic death, her family and friends formed “Team Tranquility” to raise money in her honour to fund causes close to her heart.

A phenomenal £44,000 was raised with cash going to MacMillan Cancer Support in Shetland and Liver Cancer UK.

Meanwhile, £25,000 has been donated to Aberdeen University to help continue to lead gastroesophageal cancer.

‘Blown away by generosity’

The friends and family of Amanda held a day of events in the boating club in Symbister, which is on the Shetland island of Whalsay.

Supporters put on a fish and chips lunch with friends and family making an array of desserts to sell on the day.

The fundraising then got more intense with Team Tranquility signing up for a nine-mile endurance Tough Mudder consisting of 32 obstacles.

Sister Marie Anderson said: “We were completely blown away by the generosity and support from our community in Whalsay and throughout Shetland as a whole. The Shetland community never ceases to amaze me.

“We hope that by doing this we help to raise awareness of oesophageal and gastric cancer. We hope the money can be used to help fund research as it is not as common or well-known as other forms of cancer.”

Quest for new drugs to fight cancer

Gastroesophageal cancer is one of the most aggressive forms of the disease.

Despite treatments existing to control it, only one in 10 diagnosed with the illness will survive.

The money raised by Team Tranquillity in honour of Amanda Eunson will help fund clinical trials at Aberdeen University searching for scientific breakthroughs.

Professor Zosia Miedzybrodzka, who leads the university’s medical research team, said: “All the funds the family raise will provide vital assistance for our research programme of clinical trials and laboratory research to develop better treatments for gastroesophageal cancer.

“Through this research, we are helping patients in north-east Scotland gain access to the best possible treatments as well as aiming to develop the more effective treatments of the future.”