A FAMILY tragedy led to the foundation of the Cudeca hospice on the Costa del Sol.

Joan Hunt and her husband Fred had retired to the region when he was struck with cancer.

No longer able to look after Fred, Joan was helped by the Red Cross Hospital, in Malaga, but was devastated she could not look after him at home.

So with the flower money from his funeral, Joan bought curtains and bedspreads to donate to the Hospice Movement and started fundraising to start a charity of her own.

In 1992 Cudeca, an acronym for Cuidados del Cancer or in English ‘Cancer Care’, was officially registered and Joan’s dream to help other terminally ill patients began.

By 1995 they had raised enough money to start building on a plot donated by Benalmadena Town Hall and since opening in 2000, they are the only hospice in the region providing palliative care for the terminally ill, either at home or in their inpatients centre.

Joan received the OBE at Buckingham Palace in 2002 for her work in setting up and running the charity.

She passed away last year aged 92, and true to form had asked for donations rather than flowers for her funeral.

Now the foundation she started is celebrating its 30th anniversary with a special fundraising opera night.

Artists from the  Malaga opera scene will hold a concert themed on opera in film, featuring tunes from film soundtracks.

It is being held on December 27 at the Unicaja Concert Hall Maria Cristina (Sala Unicaja de Conciertos Maria Cristina) in Malaga.

For tickets, more information or to make a donation, visit www.cudeca.org.