A BIG-HEARTED business owner is raising money for a breast cancer charity in memory of her late sister.

Suzanne Coles is hosting a fundraising event this Saturday from her boutique in Tom's Farm Shop in Tiptree.

The 58-year-old runs Madeleine & Co in the Maldon Road farm shop with her daughters Mercedes and Melissa.

Her shop will be hosting a special charity event from 10am on Saturday, October 16, with 10 per cent off all clothing excluding sale items and a raffle to raise money for Breast Cancer Now.

The research and care charity is very close to the family's hearts, as Suzanne's sister Madeleine was diagnosed with breast cancer and sadly died at just 36-years-old.

Madeleine initially had breast cancer but it was the secondary cancer which was incurable and she died in September 2002.

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There is an estimated 35,000 people living with incurable secondary breast cancer in the UK.

Around 11,500 women die each year, that’s nearly 1000 deaths each month, from breast cancer and the majority is from secondary breast cancer.

Breast cancer can also affect men and is the fourth most common cause of cancer death nationwide.

It is a leading cause of death in women under 50 in the UK.

Suzanne now has a granddaughter who is 4 weeks old, and was named Madeleine in her sister's memory.

Baby Madeleine's birth weight was the same as Suzanne's sister's at 7lb 12oz.

Raffle tickets for the charity event are being sold now from the boutique and the Tom's Farm Shop Forget Me Not Tearooms from tomorrow. They cost £5 per strip of five tickets or £1.50 each.

Suzanne said: "We have some great prizes from local businesses especially from the small businesses at Toms Farm Shop."

Raffle prizes include £20 and £10 vouchers for Forget Me Not Tearooms, a voucher for hand delivered afternoon tea from Tiptree Patisserie, a pamper box from Letterbox Wishes, a wash and blow dry at Hair By Mercedes, flowers from Flowers with Love, pink clothing items from Madeleine & Co, and many more.

The raffle will be drawn live on Saturday at 4pm and prizes can be collected from the boutique until 5pm, or between 10am and 2pm on Sunday.

Mercedes also runs Hair by Mercedes at the Tiptree site so is in the boutique from Tuesday to Saturday, and Suzanne covers Thursdays and Sundays.

For more information on the boutique visit facebook.com/MadeleineandCoBoutique.