Jaqui Gale: ‘life is precious’
Twenty individuals who have coped with life-changing illness will join a fund-raising fashion show, writes JULENA DRUMI
A finance manager, an operatic soprano and a tour guide are among those taking part in an Edinburgh fashion show tinged with life-changing experiences. Twenty models parading on the catwalk will showcase a range of items as part of this year’s Edinburgh STYLE event and all have been diagnosed with cancer.
The Catwalk for Cancer Research, organised by Business Beats Cancer Edinburgh on behalf of Cancer Research UK (CRUK), will take place at 7pm on Saturday 28 March in the city’s St James Quarter.
The fund-raising show, billed as an opportunity to ‘Look Good and Do Good,’ will feature a broad range of curated pre-loved fashion items supplied by CRUK.
Glaswegian Danielle Quinn, 41, a finance manager and founder of a social media content creation business, is among those taking part. Danielle is living with a rare form of ovarian cancer.
Just days before Christmas 2023, she was admitted to hospital where doctors drained six litres of fluid from her abdomen. She later underwent major surgery which turned into a complex seven-hour procedure, during which surgeons removed ten organs after discovering cancer had spread across her abdomen.
Danielle was diagnosed with stage three low-grade serous carcinoma, a rare form of ovarian cancer that often affects younger women. Following her diagnosis, she initially opted for hormone therapy rather than chemotherapy in order to manage the disease while maintaining her quality of life. However, the cancer returned in October 2024.
Despite ongoing treatment and the challenges of surgical menopause and long-term cancer care, Danielle remains determined to use her experience to raise awareness of ovarian cancer and the realities of living with the disease.
She said: “I’m absolutely thrilled to be involved in this event where I’ll be modelling some incredible fashions while also sharing my own cancer journey. Cancer is something we still don’t talk about openly enough, and I’m determined to do what I can to help raise awareness and encourage more conversations about symptoms, diagnosis and support.”
Others taking part in the event include Motherwell-born operatic soprano, Monica McGhee who will model and sing at the event. The 37-year-old, who has performed in some of the most prestigious opera houses in the UK and across the world, survived a 2017 diagnosis of thyroid cancer with her career now back on track after two years of treatment in London.
Monica McGhee will model and sing at the event
Gwen Shaw, a 50-year-old tour guide, has lived through Stage 2 breast cancer, for which she was diagnosed in 2022, and businesswoman Jacqui Gale, who sits on the board of Scottish Enterprise, was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in 2020. Jacqui underwent a stem cell transplant in 2021 and is now committed to helping others with cancer.
“Life is precious,” says Jacqui, “I want to do everything I can to keep loved ones together for longer, help people reach milestone birthdays and bring forward the day when all cancers can be beaten.”
All participants of the Catwalk for Cancer Research show will be supported by Ian Tod, an Edinburgh-based fashion stylist who has developed a solid reputation in the creative industry across the UK.
The event will be compered by Kylie Reid, the founder of egg, one of the UK’s largest platforms for women in business. The evening will also feature a charity supermarket shop with pre-loved clothes as well as clothing donation stations, live entertainment and a fashion photography exhibition and art gallery.
Business Beats Cancer Edinburgh has raised nearly £800,000 since its inception in 2019. The locally-focused charity, which also holds an annual fund-raising dinner and sponsored walk of the city’s Seven Hills, is now on target to surpass £1m in the year ahead.
Tickets for Catwalk for Cancer Research are now on sale with all the event’s proceeds going towards funding vital life-saving research in the city. More details can be found at: www.jumblebee.co.uk/edinburghstylefashionshow
Edinburgh’s STYLE event, runs from 25 to 29 March, bringing together fashion, beauty and culture in the heart of the capital. The programme features a wide array of runway shows, trend-led talks, live music and in-store experiences.
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