Frome Town Council Leader calls for community support for We Hear You after cancer diagnosis
We Hear You (WHY) has received an extraordinary message of support from Fiona Barrows, Leader and Chair of Frome Town Council, who shared news of her recent breast cancer diagnosis at the council meeting on 18 February. In a deeply personal statement, Fiona spoke openly about her treatment journey and issued a heartfelt call for the Frome community to support WHY during our urgent fundraising appeal.
Fiona explained that her cancer is present “on both sides and in both sets of lymph nodes,” meaning she now faces six months of intensive chemotherapy and immunotherapy. Despite the significant challenges ahead, she continues to carry out her duties remotely with the support of fellow councillors and Frome Town Council staff.
Speaking at the meeting, Fiona said:
“If you are able to, I would really love you to consider supporting our local charity We Hear You. In so many of my appointments at the RUH WHY’s name has come up. Doctors and nurses have spoken about how valued their support is, how much people have benefited from it, and how sad they are that the charity is facing possible closure, and that their waiting list is currently closed.”
She added:
“If you would like to support me, I would ask you to transfer that support to We Hear You, and help keep them going for the many people in our community who they support through the toughest times in their lives.”
Fiona’s words come at a vital moment. WHY must urgently raise £55,000 by 31 March to keep our specialist counselling services running for people affected or bereaved by a life‑threatening condition. Demand for our support remains high, but without this funding, we face the very real risk of reducing services or closing our waiting list for longer.
Lucy Kitchener, CEO of WHY, said:
“On behalf of the people we support, our team and our trustees, I want to say a huge and heartfelt thank you to Fiona for her kindness and generosity. WHY is facing a serious funding shortfall at the moment, and our vital services are at real risk. If you can, please donate to our appeal – support us at one of our events, host a small fundraising event, or share the appeal page with people you know. Every action genuinely helps, and it means we can continue being there for people like Fiona in the hardest of times.”
Fiona’s courage in sharing her diagnosis and her incredibly generous call to action has already touched many people across Frome. WHY is profoundly grateful for her support and wishes her strength, comfort, and ongoing community solidarity as she begins treatment.
How you can help
If you are able to, please support our urgent appeal. Every donation - large or small - truly makes a difference.
👉 Donate now: https://tinyurl.com/we-hear-you-appeal
THANK YOU for standing with WHY, for Fiona, and for everyone in our community who needs us.