The family of Ernest ‘Ernie’ Coulter have raised £13,000 for the North West Cancer Centre at Altnagelvin Hospital as a mark of thanks for the “amazing” care provided to Mr. Coulter by the nurses and doctors at the facility.

The Coulter family held a raffle and auction at a gala ball in the Mayfly Inn, Kesh, where a seven course meal was generously donated by the Mayfly.

Sharon McCutcheon, owner of the Mayfly Inn said: “We aimed to raise £5,000 and have now raised an incredible £13,000 for the North West Cancer Centre. We wish to thank all our sponsors who provided prizes, all the people who donated, everyone who helped us sell tickets for the raffle and to the ladies who helped organise the event.

“The family and I were overwhelmed to have exceeded our original target.”

She added: “Although cancer is so prevalent in society, the staff at the Cancer Centre made our journey feel personal to us in the support that we received.

“The care given by the nurses and doctors has been amazing. They make you feel at ease in bad situations. Every week going home we talked about how good they were. We wanted to give something back to them and for the money to be used in the unit.”

The Western Health and Social Care Trust have gratefully acknowledge, what they describe as “an amazing donation by the Coulter family from County Fermanagh.”

A spokeswoman said: “Ernest ‘Ernie’ Coulter has been receiving treatment at the Cancer Centre for nearly two years and the family felt the treatment Ernie received was so good they wanted to give something back.”