Cha-cha-champs of ballroom dancing

Cha-cha-champs of ballroom dancing

12 March 2014

SPIN-OFF events from the popular Strictly Come Dancing series dominated the social calendars of local clubs last year. Huge audiences from across the district flocked to Strictly events hosted by numerous local clubs in a phenomenon that looks set to continue.

A local group of fundraisers are planning to cannily cash in on the popularity of the series in a major drive for Macmillan Cancer Care.

They will host a Champion of Champions Strictly event at the Millbrook Lodge Hotel in Ballynahinch in May, drawing the winners and runners-up from individual clubs onto the floor for a dance-off that will raise thousands of pounds for Macmillan.

Loughinisland, Drumaness, Teconnaught, Castlewellan, St. John’s, Dromara, Bright, Ballyhornan and Crossgar clubs have eagerly agreed to participate in the Champion of Champions event with tickets, that will go on sale this week, expected to sell fast.

Roisin Fitzsimons, Emmanuel McStravick, Maureen Brennan and Maria Hamill have been preparing for the event since October, contacting clubs to organise winning dancers, and securing a number of attractive prizes for the raffle, including Garth Brooks tickets, a night at the Burrendale Hotel, a spa day at the Slieve Donard Hotel, a one-hour make-up lesson with celebrity make-up artist Paddy McGurkin, a Clarins pamper pack from Gordon’s Chemist and a £150 voucher for Michael Quinns hairdressers.

Although the event will be pulled together by the four-strong team, the main driver is local woman Maria Hamill, whose own battle against cancer three years ago changed her life.

Maria suddenly became ill with non Hodgkins lymphoma while on a business trip in 2010.

After undergoing six months of gruelling chemotherapy, she was finally in remission from the disease. Three years later, Maria is enjoying good health although she says the cancer diagnosis and subsequent fight against the disease has been lifechanging.

She said Macmillan Cancer Care was particularly instrumental in helping her to readjust to a life post-cancer by helping her negotiate the emotional minefield that a diagnosis at just 44 created.

“Macmillan was invaluable to me,” she said. “At the time of my diagnosis my daughter was just about to start secondary school and my prognosis was not good.

“I was only 44 and cancer is not something that we have a family history of so it was quite a lot to take on board.

“After my treatment ended Macmillan ran a course called New Perspectives to help you deal with coming back to reality.

“What I have discovered is that you are always changed by this. Every single day you will be glad you are alive.

“I now live by the saying ‘every day is a gift, that is why it is called the present.’”

“I am very well, very healthy and very in tune with helping myself stay healthy.”

Maria said the organisers of the Strictly championship event had been struck by the kindness of the participating clubs and the support of local businesses, although they are still looking for more sponsorship.

“We are looking forward to hosting this big event and are aiming to raise between £12,000 and £15,000,” she said.

“We would be delighted with sponsorship from local businesses to help make this a huge event.”

Tickets for the Champion of Champions Strictly will go on sale in shortly for £15.