Women of the Century Database Display

Surname	Ellis
Forename/s	Lynn
Other Names
Dates	(c1937-1989)

Biographical Notes	Founded the charity Detection of Cancer and Treatment Equipment Fund (DOCATEF) (1979). Lyn born in Buttershaw, Bradford c1937. Died in Boston, Lincolnshire in 1989. Married Pat Ellis (RAF) c1954. Educated at Tong Street Primary School. Lyn was diagnosed with cancer in 1974. She had to give up her nursing career and lost an eye and half of her mouth to the cancer. Having been told she had five years left to live she wanted make the most of them. She set up DOCATEF in 1979 with the target of raising £5,000 for a throat cancer detector for Boston\'s Pilgrim Hospital. She raised the money in four months\'and the targets kept coming. Most of the money was raised through her giving talks to women's groups and clubs. She was awarded the British Empire Medal in 1987 as well as becoming Boston's first woman Freeman. In 1988 she wrote her autobiography 'I Didn't Have Cancer for Nothing'. She died the following year having raised over £300,000.
Sources Used	Telegraph and Argus 19.5.1986, 1.2.1988, 7.4.1989, 14.1.1989
Further Sources	Ellis, L., I Didn't Have Cancer for Nothing, , Richard Kay publications, 1988
Associated Places	Bradford