A CANCER survivor who works at York Racecourse has raised over £21,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support after hosting the fourth annual Macmillan Cancer ‘Hopes & Dreams’ Charity Ball.

Matt Ascough, senior manager at York Racecourse, will deliver a check of £21,477.00 today at the Parade Ring to Macmillan charity, who helped him through some of 'his darkest hours' when suffering from testicular cancer.

He said: "I was diagnosed with a semolina Cancer at age 26 which turned my life upside down, and I had to sit though an operation, and five years at St Johns university hospital Oncologist Ward and see others around me sit there for hours for bloods and scans; getting the same devastating news that I had to go through and in some cases the worst news that some never recovered from.

"As a cancer survivor, from testicular Cancer, Macmillan we’re there for me when my darkest hours came, they pulled me from the dark, and brought me back to the light and to my dreams with a second chance at life. I was at the top of the world six years ago when I got the devastating and sudden news I have Cancer.

"Macmillan are the front face of supporting those who just get this devastating news, and for me who sat there talking to and seeing those affected by this horrible disease, I wanted to keep this valuable charity going and vowed to give back as a thank you and to help by doing a Ball, however after the success of my first Ball I got the buzz to do another, then I just kept going. Never in my wildest dreams thought I could announce that one event could raise such an amount or that I could stand here and say I have raised in four years £51,477.00 so far for Macmillan.

"I’m proud to be part of the York Racecourse team and that I can in conjunction with the Macmillan Cancer Raceday today present proudly that one of their managers has fundraiser and been able to present this cheque here to the CEO of Macmillan today."