Woodall is proud to announce that all fundraising endeavours for 2026 will be dedicated to supporting Chesterfield resident Gavin Mélen, a devoted father of four and much-loved member of the community, who is bravely fighting an aggressive form of brain cancer.
In May 2024, Gavin’s life was turned upside down when he was diagnosed with Glioblastoma IDH Wild-type, a stage-4 brain cancer with no cure.
After intensive NHS treatments were unsuccessful, Gavin and his wife Natalie were told there was nothing more that could be done. Refusing to give up hope, Natalie began researching alternative options and fundraising to secure access to a specialist multimodal immunotherapy programme in Germany, a treatment not currently available through the NHS.
Since December 2024, Gavin has been travelling regularly to Germany to receive personalised treatment. Against the odds, he has surpassed his original prognosis and recently received his first positive scan results, showing tumour stability and a small reduction in size.
Thanks to the generosity of supporters, Gavin has been able to experience treasured moments with his family. However, Gavin’s treatment exceeds £250,000, and funds are rapidly depleting.
Truly inspired after meeting Gavin and Natalie, everyone at Woodall has committed to raising £20,000 during 2026 to help support Gavin’s ongoing care and ease the financial burden facing his family.
Through a series of fundraising efforts, including the sale of a number of highly sought-after items, an incredible £5,200 was raised. What’s more, Woodall Homes donated £4,800, bringing the total to £10,000.
The prizes sold included premium hospitality experiences at major football events, golf days at Forest Pines Golf Club, and dining at a renowned Derbyshire pub, all of which were generously supported by local and national partners.
While this £10k milestone has been reached, Gavin’s journey is far from over, and further support is still needed to help him continue accessing life-extending treatment. Anyone wishing to support Gavin, donate, or follow his journey can find more information on Facebook via “A Gift for Gav: Standing Up to Brain Cancer.”
Every donation, share, and show of support helps keep Gavin where he belongs – with his family, creating memories, and continuing the fight.
Stay up to date on the journey to £20k on our social media channels!
