"It says on her headstone that she was 'an inspiration to all', and she was," Glynis Ashford says about her daughter.

Tanith Butters was 35 when she lost her long fight against breast cancer while on a family skiing trip in France in 2009. She left two children Millie, now 17, and Oscar, now 14, and her husband Henry.

The mum-of-two from Bilbrough had been diagnosed with breast cancer in 2002 shortly after Oscar's birth. She spent the next seven years being treated for the disease, and underwent a double mastectomy operation, but after a four year remission the cancer returned.

Tan was an inspiration as the adversity she faced did not prevent her from doing the things she loved, Glynis said, adding that she would often leave a trail of family and friends in her wake, struggling to keep up, whether it was skiing, riding, racing, partying, shopping or holidaying.

"She coped amazingly," Glynis, 67, said, "She thought life was for living, let's get on with it.

"It was important the children had normality in their lives.

"She had so much love to share and was always the one who would find time to help others."

York Press:

As testament to how well loved the former Tadcaster Grammar School pupil was, some of her many friends and family set up a tribute fund and started to raise money for Breast Cancer Now - the charity she chose to support during her life.

Through taking part in marathons and skydives and hosting balls around York, their efforts have now raised a remarkable total of over £100,000 with the next event - Tan's Party 2016 - planned as a black tie ball at York Racecourse on September 24.

Breast Cancer Now says that more people are surviving breast cancer than before, with more than 80 per cent of women with breast cancer still alive five years after diagnosis. But around 50,000 women are still diagnosed with breast cancer yearly. Around 11,500 women and 80 men die from breast cancer every year – nearly 1,000 deaths each month.

Katie Robertson, community engagement manager at Breast Cancer Now said: “Breast cancer is a heart-breaking disease, and Glynis’ wonderful event is a great example of the way we can pull together to help those affected by it. We hope that Tan’s Party at York Racecourse will be a big success and raise much needed funds for breast cancer research.

"There are thousands of people who have considered fundraising for charity or who are already out there doing it like Glynis for her lovely daughter. We’re powering research that’s finding new ways to prevent, detect and treat breast cancer until the day when we stop it, once and for all. And with people like Glynis by our side we can make it happen faster."

The guests at the ball will enjoy a drinks reception, three course meal and wine, raffles and auctions, a chance to try their hand at roulette, take home souvenir photos from the photo booth and dance to live music.

“Tanith began dancing at the age of three and proceeded to dance her way through life,” Glynis said, "So we feel it a fitting tribute to organise a party in her name to raise money for such an important cause.

"Everybody knows somebody that has cancer. It could be their daughter, their wife, their sister. This isn't just in memory of Tan, it's to stop people going through the suffering and sadness our family has been through."

- For booking details and more information on Tan’s Party 2016 go to www.tansparty.co.uk, phone 07989828113 and look for us on Twitter and Facebook.

Factfile:

- In 2011, just under 50,000 women were diagnosed with invasive breast cancer. Most women who get it (eight out of ten) are over 50, but younger women, and in rare cases, men, can also get breast cancer.

- If it's treated early enough, breast cancer can be prevented from spreading to other parts of the body.

- Breast cancer can have a number of symptoms, but the first noticeable symptom is usually a lump or area of thickened breast tissue.

Most breast lumps aren't cancerous, but it's always best to have them checked by your doctor.

You should also see your GP if you notice any of the following:

- a change in the size or shape of one or both breasts

- discharge from either of your nipples (which may be streaked with blood)

- a lump or swelling in either of your armpits

- dimpling on the skin of your breasts

- a rash on or around your nipple - a change in the appearance of your nipple, such as becoming sunken into your breast

- After examining your breasts, your GP may refer you to a specialist breast cancer clinic for further tests. This might include a mammography (breast screening) or a biopsy.

About Breast Cancer Now:

- Breast Cancer Now is the UK’s largest breast cancer charity.

- Breast Cancer Now’s ambition is that by 2050 everyone who develops breast cancer will live. The charity is determined to stop women dying from the disease, working in a new, collaborative way and bringing together all those affected by the disease to fund research, share knowledge and find answers.

- Breast Cancer Now’s research is focused entirely on breast cancer. The charity supports nearly 450 of the world’s brightest researchers at more than 20 locations across the UK and Ireland. Together, they’re working to discover how to prevent breast cancer, how to detect it earlier and how to treat it effectively at every stage to stop the disease taking lives.

- Breast cancer is still the most common cancer in the UK. Nearly 700,000 people living in the UK have experienced a diagnosis and one in eight women will face it in their lifetime.