Teenager Organises Second Zumbathon for Cancer Charity
William Kirvan, a 16-year-old from High Heaton, Newcastle, is hosting his second 'Party in Orange' Zumbathon on Saturday, July 4, at the White Swan Centre in Killingworth to raise funds for Maggie's Newcastle, a cancer support charity. The event follows last year's inaugural Zumbathon, which raised £3,595.81 after William's mother, Belinda Kirvan, was diagnosed with Stage 2 ovarian cancer in November 2024.
Personal Motivation Behind the Event
William, who became one of Europe's youngest Zumba instructors at age 15, was inspired to create the event after his mother's shock diagnosis. Belinda, now 43, has undergone treatment and a second surgery at the Freeman Hospital for a repair operation related to her initial cancer surgery. She is currently in recovery and under monitoring every three months for five years, with no evidence of disease. "Maggie's has been there throughout my entire journey," Belinda said. "They offer a course called 'where now' for people who have finished treatment, because it's such a common thing to think, 'what now?'"
Event Details and Community Support
William has been organizing the event while completing his GCSE exams. He reported that 113 people have signed up, suggesting a sold-out event. "We've already raised nearly £2,000 before the event," William said. "It's really good to see local businesses and individuals giving up their time to support this." The Zumbathon will feature returning and new instructors, a live musician (Saxophonist Wayne), prizes, a Zumba Wear shop, voucher giveaways, and photographer Richard Hanley.
Future Ambitions
William is determined to make the event bigger each year. "We are starting to look to next year, thinking about how we can take this to another level to allow this charity to get as much money as it can from the people of the North East," he said. Belinda added, "For William to choose to support Maggie's is phenomenal." Donations can be made via a JustGiving page.
