Strictly Inverness contestant doing it for her mum who missed taking part following cancer diagnosis
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When Beth Saunders steps on to the Strictly Inverness dance floor next month, she will be especially keen to make her mum proud.
The 22-year-old has dedicated her involvement in the contest to her mum, Karen, who had been hoping to take part herself in the annual charity event in 2017 but missed out after being diagnosed with a rare form of cervical cancer.
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Seven years on, a delighted Karen and the rest of the family will be cheering Beth on as she and dance partner Darryl Geegan perform a Bachata - which includes a lift - and a street-style number plus a group dance.
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The contest raises funds for organisers and hosts Highland Hospice and Inverness Ice Centre and for much of the time Beth has been leading the individual totals, having raised a phenomenal £21,000-plus so far.
Beth was just 15 when her mum was diagnosed with cancer and underwent intensive treatment including six rounds of chemotherapy, 25 radiotherapy sessions and also travelled to Aberdeen to receive internal radiotherapy.
It was a tough time for all the family including Karen’s husband, Ross, and their other daughter, Lucy.
“It was stressful at the time,” Beth recalled.
“I had exams and school and there was a lot going on.
“But my mum said, ‘We will get through this.’.”
Taking part in Strictly Inverness was not Beth’s idea but that of her employer, Capstone Construction, where she works as an administrator.
“They approached me on my birthday last year and asked if I would be interested in taking part and that’s how I ended up doing it,” she said.
She has been partnered with Darryl Geegan (32) who works as a nurse, but also performs as drag queen Venus Guytrap and as the frontman of the band The Idiotix.
Although she has no real dance experience, she and Darryl have been practising to include a big lift in their routine.
“At first, it was a bit scary but every time I had a wobble, Darryl would get me - he would say, ’I’m not going to drop you!’
“As you progress, you trust each other more and more each week.
“We started off with a few mats beneath us but as the weeks went on the tutor said we had to get rid of them.”
In between practice sessions, Beth has also been busy organising fundraising events.
They have included a darts and dominoes competition, an 80s night, an mediumship night, a ceilidh and a golf day while her latest fundraiser, a wine tasting at Cafe 1, made almost £3000.
Beth previously raised £1000 for Highland Hospice - whose running costs are more than £8500 a day - when she did an abseil at the Kessock Bridge with her sister.
Reflecting on her Strictly Inverness involvement so far, she said: “I had never danced before,” she said. “I have met people I had never met before.
“I have made great new friends. I have learned loads of new skills.
“It has been so much fun.
“It is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
Having missed out on her own Strictly Inverness experience, Beth’s mum could not be more delighted that her daughter has been given the chance to have a go.
“We are so proud of Beth for doing this,” said Karen (51), a medical receptionist.
“She is loving it. She is putting so much hard work into it. You can tell by the amount she has raised she has put 110 per cent into it. She is such an organiser!
“There is such a lot of work involved which probably a lot of people don’t see.
“She is young and works full-time but is doing amazingly well.”
Karen recalled how she had reached the interview stage for Strictly Inverness when she was diagnosed with cervical cancer on November 18, 2016.
Her treatment started on December 21 and realising the journey ahead meant she had to forget any hopes of taking part in the competition.
She said the treatment was quite intensive at the time but that the outcome was amazing.
“You just try to get through it,” she said.
“It does give you a bit of rain check on how life is so precious and how fortunate you are to wake up every day.”
She had to wait three months to find out whether she was all clear.
“It was the end of May,” she recalled. “By that time you are almost trying to get back to a normal life and work.
“It was such a wonderful outcome.”
Along with the rest of the family, including both sets of Beth’s grandparents, she cannot wait to see Beth and Darryl take to the dance floor.
Although she has yet to see their dances, Karen said: “They work really well together. They are an amazing duo.”
She added: “Beth is such a joy to have around. She makes me smile every day.”
