Words by Smiley Team
Neil Clavin, 46, and Mya Fawcett, 56, met at during their first session of ballroom dance training. They are just two of the amateur dancers taking part in Yorkshire’s Brain Tumour Charity’s “Step Into Strictly” event, which will take place at The Engine Shed in Wetherby on 27th November.
The pair, from Bradford, both have a close personal connection to the charity - Neil’s wife Shelley was diagnosed with a brain tumour 18 years ago, while single mum Mya’s daughter Fifi was diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer when she was just 3 years old.
Having never danced before, Mya and Neil decided to take on a new challenge to raise funds, allowing the charity to pair them up to learn a Waltz and a Cha-cha with a complete stranger.
(Read about the woman who raised more than £80,000 for brain tumour awareness)
They’ll perform the two one-and-a-half-minute routines in front of four judges and the crowd at the main event, hoping for a chance to win the glitterball.
"I’m taking part in Step Into Strictly to raise awareness of the help and support YBTC has given my family, and lots of other families, over the years," said Neil. "They helped us out massively at a very difficult time when my wife, Shelley, was diagnosed with a brain tumour. After 18 years, this charity remains a big part of our lives. Shelley is now volunteering and giving back to people who have been diagnosed with a brain tumour.
“We both find it’s good to let people know what we have gone through and how the charity can help. Yes, brain tumours completely change your life, but you are not on your own.”
Neil has “no dancing experience whatsoever”. However, when his wife Shelley bravely took to the skies, doing a skydive to raise funds for the charity in September, he decided to take the plunge and put on his dancing shoes.
“Shelley has problems with balance and walking, which is why I needed the charity to find me a dancing partner," he said. "Myself and Mya were paired in September, we had never met before this. We are well on our way with the training and it’s going really well. The charity has helped us and others deal with this cancer over many years and I just want to give something back.”
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Mya said: “My daughter Fifi, now 20, was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive brain cancer in 2005 when she was just three years old. We were introduced to the charity whilst Fifi was in hospital and we’ve been involved ever since, attending lots of the charity’s events including the most wonderful Christmas parties. We are very grateful for their support over the years and taking part in Step Into Strictly is a fun way to give a little back.
“Fifi is now a happy, healthy young lady and is looking forward to supporting Neil and I on the night! I’ve never danced before, other than our regular Saturday night kitchen discos at home which often turn into shocking karaoke.I’m definitely going to keep dancing in the future, I’m hooked!
“The big night is going to be just amazing, I hope people will come along and watch us all stepping out of our comfort zones and shaking our sequins for a very worthy cause.”
You can buy tickets to Step Into Strictly here. All funds raised will go towards supporting patients and their families and funding vital research.
