A CHARITY body combat event will be held in Stourbridge this week to help a brave Clent woman battling cancer to reach her fundraising target.

Inspirational mum-of-two Deb Gascoyne has been fighting myeloma, cancer of the bone marrow, since 2009.

Diagnosed when she was just 34, she was given a life expectancy of just two to five years at the time but after undergoing chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant in 2011 she went into remission for eight years.

Deb, now 45, threw herself into fundraising and together with family and friends she raised £125,000 for Myeloma UK which funds research into the deadly disease.

Unfortunately she relapsed last year and is undergoing treatment again - so once again she has given herself an ambitious fundraising target to meet.

This time she aims to raise £50,000 before her 50th birthday in 2025.

The challenge has been dubbed £50kb450 and £6,000 has already been raised for Myeloma UK. To find out more or donate go to justgiving.com/fundraising/50kb450.

Meanwhile - good friend Deb Molesworth has decided to give her a helping hand and has organised a fundraising body combat event at Stourbridge's Crystal Leisure Centre which will take place on Saturday February 29.

Deb Molesworth, aged 48, from Belbroughton, said: "I honestly feel privileged to know Deb and call her my friend.

"She has helped me immensely over the last few years. She is such a positive, strong lady who faces her illness with such dignity that at times you even forget she is ill."

She added: "When Deb said she wanted to raise £50,000 before she is 50 I wanted to help her achieve this."

Deb, owner of Crystal Flowers in Wordsley, organised the event with help of friend Brigitte Edmonds, a body combat instructor who agreed to help, and Matt Weetman, manager of the leisure centre, has offered to let them use the sports hall for free.

Body combat instructors Gary Woodhall, Michelle Marsh, Omari Get-Fit will also be giving their time for free to assist with the event which will run from 2pm and 5pm.

Anyone aged 14 and over is welcome to take part in the event which will combine martial arts inspired whole body non-contact moves with high energy music.

Participants do not have to stay for the entire three hours. A £10 donation is requested on the door.

Anyone unable to attend but still wishing to make a donation can do so online at justgiving.com/fundraising/deborah-molesworth4.