From loss to legacy, Hazel Bumby’s breast cancer mission
After losing her mum at 15, Westhoughton's Hazel Bumby turned her grief into a lifelong mission to raise awareness and funds for breast cancer research.
Thirty-five years ago, Hazel Bumby’s world changed forever. She was just 15 when her mum, Lilian, died from breast cancer. Her younger brother Mark was only 13. It was a devastating loss, one that Hazel has quietly carried with her into adulthood.
But out of that grief came purpose.
“I wanted to do something to mark her memory,” she says. “There was nowhere to go with the grief when she passed, so I decided to turn it into something positive.”
That impulse became Bumby Breast Cancer Care Events, a grassroots fundraising and awareness campaign now in its 13th year. Since it began, Hazel and her family have raised over £15,000 for Breast Cancer Now – the UK’s largest breast cancer charity, which funds vital research and provides support for those affected.
Hazel’s motivation is rooted in remembrance, but also in a desire to make sure no other family has to face breast cancer alone. “It’s about more than fundraising,” she says. “It’s about keeping the conversation going. Awareness matters just as much.”
“Check, check, check,” she urges. “That’s the most important message – check yourself regularly. Breast cancer isn’t just a women’s issue. Men get it too, and they need to feel it’s OK to talk about it.”
Dog shows, Elvis, and a lot of heart
Hazel’s community events are well known in Westhoughton. This summer’s highlight is the Mutts & Krufts Dog Show and Family Fun Day, happening on Saturday 23 August at John Holt Community Centre. The fun kicks off at 12pm, with the dog show beginning at 1pm. Expect fairground rides, local food vendors, craft stalls and a warm Westhoughton welcome. Hazel is still on the look out for stall holders, particularly those selling local produce.
Later in the year comes another signature event: an Elvis Night at The RMI in Horwich on Saturday 29 November. It will feature Paul Larcombe, an award-winning Elvis tribute artist who has performed solo for the late Queen and the Royal Family on three separate occasions.
“We’re even naming tables after Elvis songs and asking local businesses to sponsor them. Loft 24 on Market Street has taken All Shook Up because they’re a cocktail bar – it’s fun, and it helps us raise more.”
As always, every penny goes to Breast Cancer Now, and the charity is directly involved in overseeing her larger events.
A life full of energy
Hazel balances all of this with her day job at Bolton Locksmiths on Manchester Road, where she works in the sales department. She also co-runs a small events business, Dreams to Reality, with her friend Lucy Whittle. The pair recently provided all the balloon decorations for Westhoughton’s 80th anniversary VE Day celebrations.
She’s also a singer – performing under the name Hazel Lilian, in tribute to her mum. Her musical style is rooted in the 50s through to the 70s, with a strong theatrical voice and a flair for live performance. “There’s nothing like singing for people and seeing their reaction,” she says. “It’s pure joy.”
And every Christmas, she and her team run a free Santa text message service for children in the community. “Parents send us a bit of information, and then their children get a personalised message from Father Christmas on Christmas Eve,” she explains. “One family filmed their little girl’s reaction and sent it to us. We were in tears.”
This year, they’re adding a Santa Post Box outside Hazel’s home on Southfield Drive. Children can post their letters and receive a personalised reply.
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Lilian’s legacy
Lilian passed away aged 47 at St Anne’s Hospice in Little Hulton, Walkden. Hazel says she went from teenager to “woman of the house” almost overnight. “Dad was incredible,” she adds. “He made sure we could talk about anything – girl stuff included.”
Mark struggled at first, but the family became closer than ever. “There were only three of us – but that was enough.”
Years later, an unexpected message changed everything. Hazel and Mark were contacted by a woman who believed they shared a relative. It turned out their mum had given birth to a daughter ten years before Hazel was born – a baby girl who had been adopted.
The woman’s name was Hayley. She had been searching for her birth family, and when she found them, she also found love and acceptance.
Hazel lights up when she talks about her. “She’s wonderful. We couldn’t ask for a better sister.”
The family had known nothing of Hayley until then. Their dad never spoke of it. “It was Mum’s story to tell,” Hazel says. “And we’re so glad Hayley found us.”
