A charity that has provided a vital lifeline for cancer sufferers will be celebrating its 30th birthday next week.

The charity, Cancer You Are Not Alone, which is known as CYANA, will be marking the occasion with 70 invited guests at West Ham Football Club’s grounds in Upton Park next Wednesday.

The guests will include councillors, health experts as well as volunteers, supporters and cancer survivors.

They will be enjoying a buffet, a live DJ, as well as a running photo slideshow of the charity’s activities over the last 30 years.

The charity, which is based in Snowshill Road, Manor Park, was formed by two patients in 1983.

Tina Dugard, manager, said: “ Our longest-serving members didn’t ever expect the charity to become this successful or to last for so long. We began as a tiny self-supported group with absolutely no funding, then got help via a Macmillan funded Asian Link Worker’s post in around 2000. This was followed by a contract with the Primary Care Trust in 2004 and since then we have not looked back.

“We currently support around 150 patients, carers and family members each month through one to one counselling, support groups, advice and advocacy and social events, and we accept clinical, community or self referrals.”