Cyprus Weddings eMagazine November 2013 Nov 13 | Page 130

‘A Ball for Binny’
More than 1 in 3 people will develop a form
of cancer in their lifetime. It is a disease that
doesn't discriminate, & touches all our lives.
Sadly, just over half of sufferers survive 5 or
more years, & there are around 157,275
deaths per year in the UK alone.

Originally starting as a Facebook group,
Cyprus Brides to be was a place for ladies
to discuss, share ideas, & help each other
with planning their wedding abroad.
However, it became more than that.
The ladies became friends, confidants;
an online sisterhood.
Then in June 2013, one of our well-loved
brides, Fleur, & her new husband, Chris,
received devastating news. Chris was
diagnosed with cancer. To our heartbreak,
they were told the words nobody should
ever have to hear. It was terminal.
So the girls of Cyprus Brides to be began
a new, secret group, Fleur's Friends.

‘Why Stop there?’
Through this, funds have been raised in
order to provide little treats for Fleur &
Chris, affectionately nicknamed 'Binny'.
Whether it's an anniversary cake in hospital,
or for the family to go & see
Wolverhampton Wanderers play, the girls
have worked hard to provide the Binnington
family with happy memories during the
time they have left.
However, the thought moved to "why
stop there"? And indeed, why stop there?
With so much accomplished in such short
time, the ladies decided to do something
that would benefit all those affected by
Cancer. Now known as 'The Cyprus Ladies',
they are a group of 175 (& counting!),
brides & brides to be.
Hosting their first event, a charity ball, which
will be held on Saturday the 20th of
September, 2014. It is appropriately named
'A Ball for Binny', which of course, is
dedicated to Mr.Chris Binnington.
All proceeds of this ball will go directly to
the cancer charity or charities of Binny's choice.

Please visit www.aballforbinny.com to
find out more, donate, and help us
fight cancer.
Thank You.

130 CWM

"Chris and I met in Nov 2008 through a single
parents holiday club, so smitten was he by my
northern charm he drove the 240 miles to
take me out for a meal.
We got engaged a few months later as we
already knew then that we wanted to spend
the rest of our lives together. We spent the
next few years bombing it up and down the
country to see each other, and then he
finally moved up north in Nov 2010.
Our Cyprus wedding in Oct 2012 was the best
day of our lives. I know that sounds like a
cliché but it really was, marrying my best
friend and soul mate. We were starting on
a new chapter in our lives and couldn't wait
to start to fulfil all our hopes and dreams.
After only 7 months of this new chapter,
things changed. Chris became poorly with a
cough that he couldn't shake and after 3
weeks of tests he was diagnosed with
advanced Germ Cell cancer.
Initial treatment of chemotherapy at The
Christie hospital showed Chris was fighting
back, but our happiness was to be short
lived as the cancer soon became resistant
to the chemo and the prognosis changed
to terminal.

We made a decision then that we wouldn't
waste a minute of our precious time together
feeling sorry for ourselves, that's not to
say we haven't cried, or cry now.
Chris believes he has been dealt this hand
so that someone, somewhere doesn't have
to be parted from their loved ones. “That
someone could be a child, and I'm taking
this for them” he says, such is his army,
band of brother’s mentality. So we
choose to 'live' with cancer, and we have
lots of living to do.
Our charity ball is our way of giving
something back to all the amazing people
who have helped us, our amazing family
and friends, the incredible team at The
Christy hospital who have looked after
Chris and Cancer research UK.
It is Chris' last wish that more research
can be done so others can be cured of
this cruel disease.
Chris has had 43 years of life, and I have
been lucky enough to have known and
loved him for 5 years, and for that we
are truly blessed."
Fleur Binnington