Brighton man with terminal cancer raising money for Martlets

Marc Valentine-Morton, from Hove, was diagnosed with poorly differentiated thyroid cancer during the Covid pandemic and is relying on the Martlets Hospice for his daily palliative care.

The 48-year-old fears that if he “declines in the next two years” he will be unable to spend his last days in a facility near his husband and family due to falling charitable donations in the hospice sector.

As a result, Marc wanted to raise money for the Martlets and thought the best way to do it would be through his passion for theatre.

Marc has performed at the Theatre Royal several times

The Brighton and Hove Operatic Society (BHOS), which Marc is a member of, agreed to donate 50 per cent of its proceeds of its latest production Calendar Girls at the Theatre Royal in New Road, Brighton.

Marc said: “The Martlets are there for me 24 hours a day, I wouldn’t be here without the Martlets.

“The worst part about it is during the pandemic, all of these charities have been hideously underfunded during the pandemic.

BHOS is raising money through ticket sales for its show later this month

“Brighton Theatre and many of the cast of Calendar Girls have been a huge part of my life. When I heard that BHOS were raising money for Martlets I offered to help them to sell as many tickets as possible.

“I made a short film at the Theatre Royal to promote the show, which was hugely emotional for me. In it I describe how my diagnosis has affected me, including the loss of my voice. 

“My greatest fear is without Martlets if I decline in the next two years, I may be unable to pass in a facility near my husband and loved ones.”

The award-winning musical, based on the hit film and stage play of the same name, tells the story of how the death of a much-loved husband prompts a group of ordinary women in a small Yorkshire women’s institute to do something extraordinary: produce a nude calendar fundraiser.

The show runs from Wednesday, June 22 until Saturday, June 25.

West End actor Tania Newton, who is playing one of the lead roles as Annie, said Marc is “incredibly brave” and encouraged people to support the show.

She said: “It feels so appropriate that we are trying to help Marc and others in his situation. Marc is incredibly brave and generous to help us so passionately to do this.

Some of the cast for the show supporting Martlets

We really hope Brighton audiences will come out in force to enjoy a fantastic evening at the theatre all while supporting a much-loved local charity.

“The show is a real rollercoaster of emotions - and in rehearsals we laugh one minute and cry the next. The music is joyful and it is such an uplifting story.”

Martlets Hospice is currently rebuilding its hospice site in Hove over the next 18 months so has moved to a temporary site to provide for terminally ill people and their families.

For more information on the production, visit Theatre Royal’s website.