Wayne and Alison Taylor are planning a five-mile sponsored walk on 21st June with their 15-year-old daughter Katie, who was diagnosed with malignant melanoma in 2006.

The disease has left her mainly confined to bed and with no sensation of feeling below her neck despite intensive treatment.

Said mum Alison, of Albert Street: "It's got considerably worse recently, it has now spread to her spine, her lungs and her pelvis. It's attacked her spine to such a degree that she had to have it cemented.

"She's trying as hard as she can to lead a normal life, but she's on massive amounts of pain killers and she's asleep most of the day."

Money raised from the walk will go to the Myfanwy Townsend Melanoma Research Fund, which raises awareness of the disease, campaigns to make diagnosis more available and ultimately seeks to find a cure.

"The reason for us doing this is that we wanted to do something to raise awareness, one in 50 people will get melanoma and a quarter of those diagnosed will not survive," Alison told Chad.

"The funds we raise are obviously important, but the point about raising awareness (of skin cancer) is so important. In this day and age everyone wants to be a size six and have a nice tan –– you can get a tan out of a bottle, this will kill you.

"It's a terrible, despicable disease because it starts off so small and can be absolutely anywhere."

Brave Katie is hoping to start the walk and will be taking part in her wheelchair.

Added Alison: "The reason we are doing it at midnight is to promote going from darkness into the light, the motto of the Myfanwy Townsend fund. This is not going to go away, it's not going to get any better and the more people that know about it the better."

The walk will meet at around 11.30pm at St.Thomas Centre, on Nottingham Road, Somercotes, and will follow a steady pace on a route around Somercotes.

• Sponsor forms and further information can be obtained from Susan Williams on 01773 607549.