THE Western Telegraph is urging its thousands of readers to give their backing to a fundraising venture which will bring support and hope to the county's cancer patients.

A target of more than £250,000 has been set by the Bucketful of Hope Appeal in memory of Adam Evans-Thomas, who sadly lost his fight against Leukaemia 15-months ago.

The courageous young man devoted the last ten years of his life to raising awareness for the need of blood and bone marrow donors in the treatment of cancer.

Five-months before he died, Adam set up the Bucketful of Hope Appeal to raise funds for a new cancer day unit at Withybush Hospital and an acute bed for the new Bone Marrow Transplant Unit at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff.

His mother Chris, said: "He was very ill for a few moments in his life and he just wanted to say a big thank-you to both hospitals for all the care he received."

Fundraising for the facility is well under way, and received a major boost on Wednesday with the launch of a special awareness wrist band.

Brightly-coloured wristbands have become a fashionable accessory in recent months. The first, created by six-times Tour de France winner and cancer survivor, Lance Armstrong, was worn by an estimated 32 million people.

"These bands are very important," said Adam's mother. "If you buy one and wear it with pride all summer and into next year then you will know you have supported the building of a new unit in your hospital and a little unit in the Heath Hospital in Cardiff."

The red bands were proudly shown off by Falklands War veteran Simon Weston OBE, and former Stereophonics drummer, Stuart Cable at Mount Airey School in Haverfordwest.

The pair were in Pembrokeshire for the launch of an educational programme, which teaches children the importance of bone marrow donors and blood donation.

The Bucketful of Hope Appeal will come to a fitting conclusion this summer with Adam's Festival of Hope.

It promises to be the biggest charity event-ever staged in Pembrokeshire and a lasting memorial to Adam.

Last week, Simon Weston urged people in Pembrokeshire to get behind the festival and wear the wristbands with pride.

He said: "I don't think we need to say much more than it's for Withybush Hospital. Anyone in West Wales suffering from cancer is receiving treatment there.

"If it is not a friend, or relative then it is someone you drink with in the pub. Cancer hits indiscriminately across all nationalities, rich, poor and those in the middle. Everybody suffers, everybody is touched by it."

Western Telegraph editor, Fiona Phillips, added: "The Bucketful of Hope Appeal is aiming for £250,000 and we urge everyone to buy the wristbands and programmes and attend the Festival in September to meet this target.

"The Western Telegraph has always been very supportive of worthwhile causes and we are continuously amazed at the generous response of our readers.

The Western Telegraph's On the Road appeal for the county's St John Ambulance raised more than £27,000. This was matched nationally and the organisation will now have a new ambulance."

The Bucketful of Hope wristbands, which come in red and lime green for under 14s, are available from the Western Telegraph offices in Merlins Bridge, Barclays Bank and Tesco, priced at £10 for an adult band and £18 for a family pack.