In 2012, Angela Butcher was diagnosed with small cell ovarian cancer. She was 30 years old. It’s a rare and aggressive form of ovarian cancer – at the time, there was no research, and fewer than 300 known cases worldwide.
Angela’s response? She chose to fundraise. Not for herself, but for others. Angela had faith that research could make a difference, and she wanted others to share her faith and hope.
Angela sadly died in January 2013. But twelve years later, Angela’s Fund has raised over £250,000. It has helped kickstart research into a cancer that once had none. It has sparked global collaboration. And it has given families across the world more knowledge, more options – and more hope.
Starting with a £1,000 target – and a whole lot of cake
Angela’s first fundraiser was a community open house. Her goal? Raise £1,000. There were games, a tombola, a bouncy castle – and so many cakes that the paste table collapsed under the weight (luckily, they all landed the right way up!).
Within six hours, she’d raised £4,500. When her mum, Linda, suggested she aim for £10,000, Angela laughed “Don’t be daft, Mum.”
But the spark had been lit – and Angela’s legacy had begun.
In the years that followed – led by parents Linda, Mike, and brother Mark – a whole community came togetherFamily and friends took on skydives, bike rides and challenges – and so many other fundraising events!
Over a decade, Angela’s Fund became a movement. Each £10,000 milestone was met with celebration – from themed birthday bashes to BBQs and thank you raffles.
To reflect the spirit of the movement, a logo was created for Angela’s Fund. Angela loved butterflies and had one tattooed on her foot with the word ‘faith’ beneath it. After she died, Angela wanted her ashes to be spread around, and many are scattered far and wide, but many remain with her family and friends housed in beautiful butterfly pendants, which are worn on special occasions. So it was only fitting that the logo for Angela’s Fund features a beautiful butterfly.
Helping research get started – and grow
Angela’s Fund didn’t just raise money – it made research happen. In 2016, thanks to the first £30,000 raised, the Small Cell Ovarian Cancer Project was launched. It set up the UK’s first patient registry and brought together researchers from around the world.
As the fund grew – to £60,000, £120,000 and beyond – the research grew too. What began as a small pilot became a five-year international project, giving families more insight into this rare cancer.
One major milestone was the creation of the SCCOHT and SMARCA4 Registry and Biobank – a global hub for data and biological samples. It’s now a vital resource led by Dr William Foulkes at McGill University (Canada) helping researchers across the world to understand small cell ovarian cancer, improve diagnosis, and work towards treatment options.
And the momentum continues. Each year, new scientists join the collaboration – all because of the legacy Angela built.
In late 2021, five-year statutory funding was secured for the work at McGill University. This simply would not have been possible without Angela’s Fund.
The support from Angela’s Fund has been absolutely transformative. What began as a small-scale effort entirely supported by The Eve Appeal has become an international research collaboration – and that would not have happened without the commitment, passion and fundraising of the Butcher family. Thanks to their incredible efforts, we’ve been able to build the SCCOHT/SMARCA4 Registry and Biobank to over 100 participants, deepen our understanding of small cell ovarian cancer, organise an international meeting held in Montreal in May this year and most importantly, give families around the world real answers and real hope. Angela’s legacy will live on in every research advance we have made and will make in the future.
– Dr William Foulkes
With that project funded for the foreseeable future, Angela’s Fund broadened its scope. It now supports research into other rare gynaecological cancers – continuing Angela’s mission to give hope to others.
Since then, Angela’s Fund has helped support a number of research projects, including those focused on mucinous ovarian cancer and vulval cancer.
And this research is making a difference – not just in labs, but in people’s lives. In 2024, a family whose niece was diagnosed with small cell ovarian cancer contacted Linda. They had learned about the research Angela inspired and said how much it helped them. That’s exactly what Angela wanted – for the research to help others.
A family and community that never gives up
Angela’s Fund is still going strong today. Linda, Mike and Mark have never stopped. They’ve organised events, run raffles, sold thousands of items online – and kept the energy and love alive, every day.
Earlier this year, the Butcher family were invited by our Chief Executive, Athena, to a garden party at Buckingham Palace – a royal recognition of their outstanding support for The Eve Appeal.
Reflecting on their impact over the past decade, Athena shared:
Angela’s Fund is everything that The Eve Appeal is about – love, determination, and creating something positive out of something devastating. I’ve had the privilege of knowing Linda, Mike and Mark for over ten years, and in that time, I’ve seen the incredible impact they’ve made – not just in raising funds, but in driving research forward and making real change happen. Angela wanted hope for others, and that’s exactly what her family and community have delivered. We are so proud to stand alongside them.
Thank you, Team Butcher
To Linda, Mike, Mark – and the many family, friends and neighbours who’ve stood behind Angela’s Fund – thank you.
You have raised over a quarter of a million pounds. You’ve helped launch vital research. And most importantly, you’ve brought hope to people.
Angela’s story, and all your hard work in her name, are a powerful reminder of what love, community and determination can achieve.
Everyone at The Eve Appeal is so proud to stand beside you and to celebrate this incredible milestone.
Here’s to Angela. And here’s to what comes next.