"CATHERINE always said the nurses at the hospice were 'her angels'.

"She said 'It's brilliant in here mum, it's like a five-star hotel'.”

Joan Kearney, of Spinning Avenue, Guide, is planning to repay the debt of gratitude she feels her family owes East Lancashire Hospice.

Her 21-year-old daughter Catherine discovered she had a brain tumour that could not be removed after falling ill in March 2003.

She underwent weeks of radiotherapy and chemotherapy to fight the disease, and had surgery to remove half of the tumour.

While she was having treatment at Rosemere Cancer Foundation at the Royal Preston Hospital in September 2004 she formed Catherine’s Crusaders.

Consisting of Catherine, her mum, her dad Eddie, older sister Gillian, family and friends, the Crusaders raised £16,000 for the foundation in two years.

Joan, 55, gave up running a sweet shop in Haslingden to care for her daughter, but ultimately Catherine needed more support and spent the last three weeks of her life at East Lancashire Hospice on Park Lee Road.

Since Catherine died on November 11, 2005, the Crusaders have raised £60,000 for Rosemere.

And now Joan wants to focus on raising funds for the hospice.

The grandmother-of-two said: “It was during those last few weeks that I really appreciated the work the hospice does.

“They are just so tremendous there, not just with patients but their families as well.”

Joan and her friend Linda Field have attended a fair at the hospice and Accrington Cricket Club's Christmas party to sell donated soft toys and gifts to raise money and have more events planned in the New Year.

Sharon Plunkett, commu-nity fundraiser at East Lancashire Hospice, said: “We are extremely grateful for their support.

"Without the support of people like Joan and Linda we would be struggling.”

To get involved in Catherine's Crusade call Joan on 01254 689931 or emai ljoan@rton.co.uk.