A woman has launched a new charity in memory of her inspirational aunt.
Born and brought up in Cebu in the Philippines, Marsha Pitao Cubbon trained as a doctor in the country.
She later moved to the Isle of Man where she worked for years as a GP.
In 2010 Marsha fell pregnant with her daughter, however, the happy discovery was marred by the news she had developed ovarian cancer.
Immediately after giving birth, she began chemotherapy to treat the disease.
That treatment was a success, but Marsha and her family discovered four years later that an aggressive form of the cancer had returned.
Sadly, Marsha passed away at Hospice in the Isle of Man in 2015, at just 39 years old.
Ten years on, Marsha’s niece Angela Aumonier is determined to keep her beloved aunt’s memory alive.
Marsha Pitao Cubbon (Angela Aumonier)
Angela, from Douglas, has spent the last year dedicating her time creating a charity named ‘Marsha’s Hope Foundation’, an organisation which aims to empower women, save lives and ‘inspire hope’ in Marsha’s native Philippines.
Angela said: ‘One of the greatest qualities [Marsha] embodied was that she was always so hopeful, despite all the hard moments she was going through.’
Although Angela grew up on the island, she grew to appreciate her family’s heritage and roots in the city of Cebu during annual summer trips to the Philippines.
‘The reason I chose to [focus the charity] in the Philippines is not just because this is the place where [Marsha] was born and studied,’ said Angela.
‘I’ve realised the privilege of growing up in the Isle of Man.
‘The main goal is to start with fundraisers and just raising awareness.
Marsha with family (Angela Aumonier )
Women’s health is an area which is severely lacking in the Philippines, Angela said, with breast and cervical cancer being two of the most common cancers in the country.
‘There’s a big stigma around health, where people just don’t talk about it, or don’t know about it,’ she said.
‘Once we have enough funds, I want to be able, through the charity, to give free screenings to those in underprivileged areas.’
The charity was officially launched on December 2 2024, the date of Marsha’s birthday.
The inspiration behind the name of the organisation came from Angela’s memory of her aunt living on Hope Street in Castletown.
Angela, who will also be competing in the Miss Cebu beauty pageant this year, said the knowledge she gained during her academic studies coupled with personal health struggles have furthered her to do something to improve the lives of women in the Philippines.
‘I was previously diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and hyperthyroidism,’ she said.
Marsha’s Hope Foundation Logo (Angela Aumonier )
‘I later decided to take a master’s in epidemiology at Imperial College in London and whilst we were learnt a lot about diseases in general, I really took an interest in women’s health.
‘My aunt’s passing away to ovarian cancer also had a very big impact on my interest in the subject,’ she said.
‘While setting-up the charity has mostly been a solo effort, I’m incredibly thankful to the friends, family and trustees who have supported me along the way’
You can find and follow the charity’s journey on Facebook by searching ‘Marsha’s Hope’.