Melissa supporters to form a human chain

Jun 2 2009 By Adam Courtney

Melissa Huggins

A HUMAN chain of 2,000 people will form between a Shepperton church and the Sunbury school of seriously ill teacher Melissa Huggins, in a fundraising extravaganza.

Organised by St John Fisher Church, the event, called Pass the Pom, will involve a beaker of pomegranate juice being passed the length of the line from the church, in Wood Road, to St Ignatius School in Green Street, where Melissa, of Bremer Road, Staines, worked before starting treatment for her aggressive brain tumour.

Once the beaker of juice, which is being used because the fruit's proton has the same healing property as is being used in the 27-year-old's treatment, has reached St. Ignatius School there will then be a Mexican wave returning to the start point.

The extraordinary event is taking place on Saturday July 4 and is being sponsored by “Pom Wonderful”, the makers of the juice.

Meanwhile, a supporters group affiliated to London Irish Rugby Club raised £1,200 for Melissa in another event last week.

An auction was held to secure the coaching services of players, and the supporters, led by the Tinkerbelles ladies rugby section, raised £1,200, the amount which turned out to be the winning bid.

A cheque has now been presented to Melissa’s father, Mark, and fiancee James Pegram, by club captain Bob Casey. The event pushed fundraising for Melissa through the £250,000 barrier.

Although she has finished pioneering proton radiotherapy treatment in America, which is what the fund was set up for, she will need to return to the country for checks regularly over the next few years.

Currently, she is undergoing chemotherapy in London to "boost" the effectiveness of the proton course and in the next few weeks she will receive news of whether or not the treatment has been a success.

*The cut off point to join the human chain is June 13. There is a £3 registration fee and registration forms and further details can be obtained from Aziatics Florist and Daines and Grey Butchers in Shepperton.