NEW bride Marilyn Balkwill was so grateful for her treatment when she had cancer that she decided to raise money for the hospital - at her wedding.

Marilyn Balkwill and husband Don, from Coldbrook, near Abergavenny, married at the town's Angel Hotel and used their reception at the King of Prussia, The Bryn, as an unofficial fundraiser.

And today they will hand over a cheque for £850 to the Nuclear Unit of Velindre Hospital, where Marilyn was treated for cancer eight years ago.

"We've both been married before and have pretty much got everything we need, so we thought it would be a nice gesture," said 59-year-old Don, who has raised more than £5,000 for charities in the past.

Marilyn was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 1994 and spent almost two years undergoing radiotherapy at the Cardiff hospital.

"A lump on my throat turned out to be a cancerous tumour," she recalled. "It was horrendous at the time and the thought of having treatment at a nuclear unit was very frightening. But I received tremendous support from Velindre and Macmillan, both physically and emotionally, and I can't thank them enough."

Marilyn, now a deputy head teacher at a Torfaen primary school, underwent surgery to remove her thyroid gland, and she was fortunate in that it did not affect her voicebox.

She recalled how radiotherapy treatment can be a daunting process, particularly when she was kept in isolation after being in contact with radioactive isotopes.

"Staff would be treating me while wearing lead-lined suits, so it was quite an unnerving experience," she said.

"But they would explain everything every step along the way, and that was very reassuring."

After being given the all-clear back in 1996, Marilyn still visits Velindre for routine check-ups and has to take a daily dose of Thyroxin to regulate her metabolism.

Despite this, she says, at the moment "life couldn't be better".

The couple, who met six years ago through their mutual love of amateur dramatics, hope their charitable wedding gesture may inspire other newlyweds to do the same.

Marilyn has a message of hope for anyone currently suffering from cancer.

"It is really scary, but remember there are people who will help you, no matter what," she added.