TWO Pedmore sisters are aiming to raise £2,000 for a Dudley cancer ward in memory of their mother.

Danielle and Bethany Baron's mum Julie was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2012, which later spread to her hip and brain.

The 47-year-old who worked with youngsters attending the breakfast and afterschool clubs at Ham Dingle Primary School, lost her lengthy battle with the disease in December last year.

Julie had made her own funeral arrangements and insisted that instead of flowers, she would prefer mourners to make donations to the Georgina ward at Russells Hall Hospital, where she received weekly chemotherapy treatments.

Danielle, aged 20, said: "Mom felt very strongly about helping others and she always put other people before herself. When she was first diagnosed with breast cancer she completed the race for life with me and Bethany and she was always eager to do lots more fundraising."

The siblings, of Drew Crescent, have received more than £2,000 to date and intend to continue fundraising in their mother's name throughout the year.

Plans include completing the Race for Life at Himley Hall in July and the Great North Run in September, which they hope will pull in around £2,000.

They have set up a Facebook page called Just for Julie, where they will keep supporters updated on their progress.

Danielle said: "The support we've received via the Facebook page is incredible. We've had over 400 likes on the page, half of them coming within the first two days, people have sent us tonnes of messages of support and people have shown a massive amount of interest what we post about the fundraisers we hope to do."

She added: "Mom would be so embarrassed that all of this is because of her but she’d be so proud that we’re giving thanks to the Georgina ward on her behalf and also helping others in the future.

"I feel very proud and overwhelmed at the support we’ve had in the past four weeks, to me it just goes to show how big an impact mom had on a lot of people."

To follow the sisters' progress, visit www.facebook.com/pages/Just-for-Julie/1524866031121624?fref=ts.