A baker from Bury has had her lemon curd cake made into a special recipe card to help fundraise for a blood cancer charity.

Joan Smith, aged 65, was diagnosed with an incurable form of blood cancer in February 2006, throughout her ongoing battle with the illness she has been supported by Bloodwise, a specialist blood cancer charity.

Bloodwise has organised a new fundraising initiative, 'Tea with the Girls' encouraging people to host their own afternoon tea with family, friends and colleagues to raise money for research into blood cancers.

Mrs Smith's recipe has been professionally designed into a card for inclusion in the online pack for ‘Tea with the Girls’.

When Mrs Smith, of Parr Fold, Unsworth was diagnosed with myeloma she had to give up work and her husband Mel, aged 67, gave up his job to care for her.

After violently sneezing and immediately feeling a pain in her back, Mrs Smith assumed she had pulled a muscle. When the pain did not abate she visited her GP who referred her for an X-ray.

She says: "They discovered I had two collapsed vertebrae and had developed osteoporosis, so I was referred to an orthopaedic surgeon, who admitted me for more tests. Various scans failed to provide any answers so they did a Bence Jones Test which eventually showed that I had myeloma.”

Mrs Smith started chemotherapy but reacted badly to the treatment, as well as experiencing renal failure caused by the cancer. Her chemotherapy was reduced improving her condition enough for her to undergo a stem cell transplant in March 2007.

Mrs Smith added: "During my first year of illness I spent 17 weeks in hospital, with my husband running our home as well as visiting me, but since the transplant I've made steady progress and the dialysis hasn't stopped us from travelling. There is life after it."

Rising to the occasion, Joan's recipe is available to download for free alongside a collection of favourite teatime treats, including an orange fruit cake from new Great British Bake Off host Prue Leith, a Lemon Drizzle from TV presenter Aled Jones, and a host of tasty ideas from the original Calendar Girls.

Mrs Smith said: "I'm delighted to be involved in 'Tea with the Girls' with this recipe, especially for a charity so close to my heart. The lemon curd cake is a real family favourite as it's light and summery."